I was entirely overwhelmed.
With the truth and grace laced with love, with tiredness, with joy, with dreams.
A few weeks ago, I spoke to high school students about the ways in which they are wired. Shockingly, or not so shockingly, every single topic I was given to teach these students was especially prominent in those weeks of my life.
The most prominent was this idea of comparison. Founded on the truth in the gospel of Matthew, when Jesus explicitly lays out the foundation for the plan of our lives…
love God + love people
…we all had to come to realize that we can’t love people well until we recognize and love ourselves the way God has loved and continues to love us.
{unconditionally, fully, radically, abundantly, + forever}
The condition of our heart is reflected in the way we speak, act, respond, and yes…even the way we love.
“Jesus replied…
‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'”
Matthew 22: 37-39
I have seen this to be true in my own life. The weeks where I am less confident, bogged down, frustrated, weary, and feeling entirely too helpless, I am horrible at loving people.
The weeks where my heart is steady and feeling like I am keeping up with life, I am a lot better at loving people. Not only am I better at loving people but I am better at loving people unconditionally and selflessly without expecting anything in return. God’s conditional love and acceptance was torn in two, along with that veil, because of the fearless and relentless love of Jesus. His love was no longer conditional, and mine never should have been.
Knotting together comparison with loving others well breathes life into the reality that the deepest desire of my heart is to be loved unconditionally. If I really want that then I need to be loved unconditionally wherever I am.
And so do you.
I desire to be loved despite imperfections, not yet conquered areas of growth, the stumbling blocks that trip me up, and the places and seasons where I am still just trying to trust the process + love the journey.
Find your people, and find new people, and love them wherever they are.
Find your people, and find new people, and let them love you wherever you are.
Find your people, and find new people, and emulate through words and actions the beautiful and radiant love God has demonstrated for us…and love them well, wherever you are.
The Celeste Elizabeth 