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Our perspectives of what it means to be loved is greatly influenced by how people have treated us in the past. For most of us, we are fortunate to have received grace in extreme ways from friends and family who show care for us the most. But even with our closest relationships, there have been conditions to its delivery.

The goal of God is to shape our hearts to be like his, especially for those of us who are followers of Jesus. The more we come to know his heart, the more freedom we will find to express the love we discover there.

The conditions for which God is willing to express his love are boundless in comparison to ours. The Bible clearly illustrate God’s unlimited grace towards those who need it most. God’s desire to reach needy humanity with his love takes precedent over any perceived limitations the average person may see. God is willing to do whatever it takes and leaves no doubt that his love for us is inexhaustible.

In the story of the prodigal son, Jesus is trying to illustrate to the Pharisees and the teachers of the law that God loves sinners in spite of their sin. Jesus takes the opportunity to paint an extreme picture explaining how far God will go, no matter how far “the sinner” has gone.

The son who possessed everything squandered it to nothing. His wealth was wasted. His future was bleak. His options, now limited. At one time, he feasted at the table of his father. Now he fed on left over pig slop. Not the ideal, kosher situation for a young Jewish boy. His outward filth was just a reflection of the inward dirtiness that had taken over his life and led him away from home.

Though he perceived his old life was at an end, his father saw it as a new life just beginning.

As he makes his way back home, repeating his “repentance” pitch, he was convinced that his worth had gone from being a son to being a servant. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and with a heart filled with love, ran and meet him, not as a servant, but has a son. The choices, mistakes, and sins of the son had not closed the open arms of his father’s heart.

God’s love sounds extreme, because it is. It is unconditional and available, regardless of where we have been or what we have done.

If we are to express the heart of God to our world, our arms need to be wide open, just like the arms of Jesus. From Gods perspective, sin has been done away with and it’s not the first thing on his mind (Heb. 10:16-18). The penalty for all sin, great and small, has been paid for by Jesus and is applied to our debt by the grace we receive through him. Our choices do matter to God, but sin is not the point any more. Intimacy with the heart of Jesus is the motive of God for all of humanity (John 17:3). Loving relationship with God brings peace to the longing we have for Gods acceptance of us and grows our desire to bring glory to the One who loves us most (Rom. 1:6-8).

Our calling is to keep our arms wide open so that God may use us to receive those he is drawing home (John 6:37-38)(John 6:43-45). There will be plenty of time for conversation to help wanderers see the errors of their ways, where they drifted away from home and correct all that stands in opposition to Gods purpose for their lives. God will give you the right words at the right time and will bring about the right changes (1 Thess. 1:4-6)(Luke 12:12). Our role is to seek the right heart that God will use to deliver them.

As followers of Jesus, we need to learn to love without limits, not because others need it, but because our soul needs to experience the freedom to love as God does. Love covers a multitude of sins. May God help us see the greater purpose of the Savior, even in the midst of sinful humanity. May we love people to experience the abundant heart of Jesus. May our arms be wide enough to embrace those that are still lost as well as for those who are already on their way home.

What do you think?