True Love Is Unconditional

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I have been on mission for Western North Carolina to help with getting supplies to those who desperately need help there... God bless them!

Golf is a game where anything goes according to your ability to play. It is unconditional and you get to play at the level of your giftedness and training. Golf courses don’t put conditions on who can play there. You can play if you are a professional or if you are an amateur. The game of golf is inclusive, and everyone has the same opportunity to play and grow as a player if they want to. Some people get really into golf, it is there whole life and sometimes it is their profession, while other players just love the game and play for fun, knowing they will never be professionals, but they are still unconditionally accepted by the golf course to play there. Yes, the unconditional nature of golf is all are accepted to play it, whenever and however they can.

For me, that makes me happy that I can go and play a round of golf and there are no conditions on me to perform. If you can’t get a par on every hole, you can’t play here. I have never heard that condition. Golf is unconditional in that way where everyone gets a chance to play at their own level. When you book your tee time, they don’t ask you how well you play, or how far you can drive the ball, you just get to come and play at the level where you are. Golf is unconditional.

I play to take some time off from the world, it relaxes me. I have played golf off and on since I was a child, I have many good memories associated with golf, and I always enjoyed the game as an amateur. I can come and hit the ball and there are no expectations on me, I can just enjoy a round of golf. The golf course puts no conditions on my level of play, that is why I enjoy it so much. It is a game that shakes off all conditions and let’s people grow at their own pace. God is like that… I know in my life, I have room to grow through and become a better player. Conditions hamper that growth. It may be different for you, but for me, I play unconditional golf and I enjoy it so much.

The world is full of people putting conditions on people, and it is nice to get a break from that. Conditions, conditions… we hear it so much in this crazy culture we are in. There are so many places where conditions are put on us, it gets our soul down. It is like: Either you do this or you don’t belong here. Either you do this, or you can’t do that. Either you do this or we will cancel you. Either you look like this, or you are not accepted with us. Either you believe this or you can’t be a part of our group. Conditions are like living life from the outside looking in and knowing you will never be a part because you don’t have the condition needed. Conditions take the joy out of life.

There are conditions put on everything. You can’t be in relationship with me because I don’t like the way you do this or do that. Either you do what I want you to do, the way I want you to do it, or you can’t be in my life. If you don’t agree with what I am asking you to do, then you can’t be a part of my team. Conditions… conditions… Jesus was not like that… He taught us how to love unconditionally, He did not reject or forsake us based on conditions.

Putting conditions on each other takes away the individuality of people. We all were created in the Image of God, Yes, this makes us similar in a great way, but we also all were shaped differently, uniquely designed by God. We were created to value and love each other’s individuality and to have uncommon unity with one another because all of us are so God gifted in many different and unique ways.

Some of us were gifted with the talent of playing golf. I stand in awe of some of the players I have seen play, their perfect drives, chips, and putts and it awes me the talent that they have. I don’t have that talent, but can still be accepted to play golf. Golf courses don’t turn you away because you can’t drive the ball as far as others can. Everyone can play, there are no conditions when it comes to the level of our play.

Have you heard conditions in this world? Have you had conditions put on you by other people because you won’t do things their way? Some of us may be able to play golf and some people really don’t like the game, it frustrates them and they don’t like it. Because you don’t like the game of golf, I am not going to ostracize you, because I embrace you unconditionally with unconditional acceptance of who you are. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. If we would only all live in such a way where we stop putting conditions on other people and we love them unconditionally, get to know who they are, who God has created them to be.

Jesus Christ, loved us unconditionally. There was no greater or more powerful display of unconditional love than the cross of Calvary. Jesus was different, unique and bringing forth new ideas and He was either embraced or rejected. But many hated Him and excommunicated Him. Humanity in our human condition, hurt Him, we wounded Him and He unconditionally loved us like we had never hurt Him, He went to the cross, took all of our sin upon Him, and died for us, like we had never even hurt Him. He was sentenced to death because he did not meet the conditions of specific religious leaders. They were not comfortable with Him, He shook up all their conditional traditions. So, they plotted to kill Him and they did, at least they thought they did. He rose again and ushered in the greatest transformation known to mankind, death to life.

I have known and felt the sting, the pain of conditional love. I have been rejected based on conditions that were based on my life performance being something that people did not understand, it made them feel uncomfortable. I was told either you do this, the way I want it done or you are out of my life. Either you do it my way or it is the highway. You must do this, exactly as we say, or you can’t be a part of our group. This is the way, walk in it, and if you don’t walk in this way, you don’t walk with us at all… you are ghosted, you are cancelled. I have been rejected because of false accusations and people who think they know my motives but do not, and have made bad assumptions. This is our culture. What can we do personally to begin changing it up, to begin shredding conditions and love each other unconditionally as Christ loved us!

Dig Deeper: https://thebridegroomscafe.com/a-love-conqueror/