“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” – 1 Corinthians 13:13.
Private Doss was on a mission during the battle taking place on Hacksaw Ridge. His mission was to save as many soldiers around him as possible. Doss rescued 75 soldiers wounded by heavy enemy fire at the top of a 400-foot cliff during the battle for Okinawa in spring of 1945. He risked his life to bring the injured men back to the ledge, one by one, and lowered them by a rope ladder to safety. Some of those soldiers had mocked and beaten him for not wanting to kill. He also showed kindness to an injured enemy soldier. This is a pretty good example of unconditional love.
Love is one of the most misunderstood and misapplied words in our vocabulary. Over the centuries, love has accumulated a whole lot of conditions, baggage, and confusion. Adding unconditional to love makes it more confusing and more difficult at the same time. The only place you will probably hear the words love and unconditional are in a church. Those two words make sense when we remember and reflect on the voluntary sacrifice of God’s Son on the cross to pay the penalty of our sin. Because of the cross, everyone has the ability to have a personal relationship with God and experience His unconditional love.
But is unconditional love possible for us? We see unconditional love in Desmond Doss, but unconditional love is uncommon. While it is not common, it is not impossible. The good news is that God wants to do uncommon things through His people. When unconditional love is introduced into the equation everything changes. Nothing stays the same. But we need to understand that unconditional love doesn’t come with any pre-existing conditions, expectations or strings attached.
Unconditional love heals the broken, empowers the timid, motivates the hesitant, and gives people a glimpse of God’s love to those who may not have experienced it yet.
You can be an agent of change. It will look different than what you might think. But there is great power in letting go of conditions, and loving as God intended us to love. Choosing to share unconditional love with others in the same way God has done for us.
Rick Warren had this to say:“Love leaves a legacy. How you treated other people, not your wealth or accomplishments, is the most enduring impact you can leave on earth.”
Discussion Questions:
- What are we doing here in your opinion? In the list of things that describe God’s loves for you, what encourages you the most? What makes you feel separated from God’s love?
- Who do you need to show unconditional love to this week?