Whatever, You Gotta Gotta Love!

I went to a youth camp with my oldest daughter several years ago and the theme of the week was, “Whatever, You Gotta Gotta Love!” During that particular time, the saying of the youth was, “Whatever!” So the counselors came up with the slogan to go with it. All week long we went around saying to each other, “Whatever! You Gotta Gotta Love!”

They may not have “got it” at the time, but the adults sure did. It didn’t matter what was going on in our lives, whatever it was, we had to love. It’s an ancient piece of advice, but one that is living and breathing still today. It came directly from the lips of Jesus:

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” ~Matthew 22:37-39

We all go through “junk” in our lives. Some worse than others. Some better than others. But whatever it is that you’re going through, even though you would love to hurl the hurts back at those who are hurting you, you must remember that “you gotta gotta love!”

Love has been around since before time. Think about that. God created everything and people because He LOVES! We walk around today beat down because someone told us that we were a mistake, or that we didn’t matter, or that we weren’t worth anything. But they were wrong! Because you, dear lovelies, were CHOSEN by the Most High God! You are here today because God CHOSE you! He LOVES you! Hard to fathom, isn’t it?

It is so beyond my comprehension that God actually picked me. I am here today because God loves! YOU, sweetness are here today because God loves. So why is it so hard for us to love in return? We are human. We have earthly thoughts and desires. And quite frankly, there are some people that are just difficult to love! But whatever, we gotta gotta love them. 

Is it possible to love someone and not like them very much? Yes. I may not like how someone acts, but I love them. Why? Because God said to love them. And since we’re being so truthful and transparent here, I love them because while I’m looking right at them thinking, “Man, I just don’t like them very much right now,” the Holy Spirit is talking to me saying, “But I love them all the time.” Owweee!! Okay. Okay, Holy Spirit, I get it. And because You love them, You help me to love them, too. Whatever! I gotta gotta love!

Precious, whatever you’re going through right this minute, know one thing for certain: God LOVES you unconditionally. That means no strings attached! THAT is how we are to love others. No strings attached. Don’t put stipulations on your love. “If you DO this for me, then I’ll love you.” NO! You don’t have to do anything to earn God’s love for you. It’s free for you! Jesus paid for it with His life! So you, in return, don’t put stipulations on your love for others.

It doesn’t mean you have to be friends with the difficult to love. It just means you love them. You may in fact have to keep your distance from some people. But love them anyway. Love them right to the Lord! It can and does happen!

Those snarky, hateful, broken people need love the most. Because they may be hurting the most. You may get hurt along the way. It’s more than likely to happen. But Whatever! You gotta gotta love!

Love you!