Unoffendable Love

 

I was talking with a friend on the phone the other day, and we both admitted something: reading the Bible can be challenging at times. And honestly? I kind of love that about it. The Bible has this beautiful way of pushing against my flesh while drawing me closer to God’s heart. The more I surrender my stubborn self (and yes, I’ve got plenty to surrender), the more my spirit aligns with Him.

If you know anything about me, you know my testimony is one of rebellion. I don’t always get it right. But maybe that’s why I crave being in the Word so much. I’ll have the Bible app playing in my ear or worship music running in the background. It helps keep my mind on God instead of getting tangled in the world’s mess—or my own. And trust me, that’s a full-time job!

One example I shared with my friend was about Jesus’ command to love our neighbor. Now, let’s clear something up: when Scripture says neighbor, it’s not just talking about the nice family next door who drops off cookies at Christmas. It’s not just our close friends, our spouses, or even our family. Nope—it means everyone. Every single human being. Each one of us bears the image of God, and He loves us all the same.

Jesus put it plainly in Matthew 22:37–39: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Looking at the world today, it sure doesn’t seem like we’re doing a great job of loving our neighbors. This world is a hot mess (and I don’t just mean Arizona in July). I truly believe the lack of love has a lot to do with it.

Here’s the thing: love isn’t just a fuzzy feeling. Love is a choice, and it’s proven by action. Let me give you a simple (and sweaty) example. I live in Southern Arizona, where it’s hot from May through November. Let’s say I pull up to a stoplight and see someone holding a sign. They’re clearly hot and thirsty. If I have an unopened water bottle next to me and I just drive by? That’s not love.

I’ll admit, there was a time when I would have judged that person. But now? If I hand over that water, I’m choosing to love them in that moment. I can always go get another bottle. They may not have that option. Proverbs 19:17 reminds us: “Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord, and He will give a reward to the lender.” God notices even the smallest sacrifice. Love often looks like choosing someone else’s need over our own.

Now, let’s be real—love isn’t easy. It’s hard to love when we’re angry or offended. But here’s the secret: choosing love in those moments actually helps that anger dissolve faster than holding onto it. This came up during my husband’s Bible study. Normally, I bowl on Tuesdays, but since I injured my finger, I joined instead. They were reading Unoffendable by Brant Hansen—such a great book. Brant made a point that really stuck with me: if we, as Christians, would let go of our “right” to be offended and actually live unoffendable lives, we’d find so much more peace and freedom. I loved how he framed that—it’s simple, powerful, and something I need to practice daily.

Imagine if we set aside our pride, our hurts, and our need to be right—and instead just loved people. Love would spread faster than hate ever could. And when love increases, hate decreases. That’s when the world gets a clearer view of God. As 1 Peter 4:8 says: “Above all, maintain constant love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins.”

I’m grateful for Scripture that cuts through my stubbornness and keeps teaching me how to live like Jesus. And I’m thankful for voices like Brant Hansen who point out truths that bring these lessons even closer to the heart—reminders that help me actually live them out. Because at the end of the day, all of this is about learning to love others toward Jesus. The more we reflect His love, the more we spread the Good News to a hurting world. And that, my friends, is the kind of love that really can change everything.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Beautifully Broken

I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior about a year and a half ago—truly the best decision I’ve ever made. But I quickly learned that following Jesus doesn’t make life magically easier. After 42 years of living in a world full of shiny distractions—money, success, clothes, cars, and the “it’s your life, do what you want” mindset—I began to see how empty it all really was. Everything the world offered me was a lie. I also have a past, and it loves to show up at the worst times. People say “the past is the past,” but when others keep reminding you of who you used to be, it doesn’t always feel that way. Sometimes I ask myself, Am I a fraud? I write about Jesus, yet the enemy whispers, “Look at your life, Jane. Look at your marriage.” As I write this, I’m sitting in a dimly lit room with Lauren Daigle playing softly, trying to calm my heart. Dallas and I have been married only 10 months, and the spiritual attacks have been intense. The fighting has gotten worse, not better, and at first I...
Read more

Offense

       Before we can discuss offense, we must first understand what it really is. Offense is the act of creating resentment and hurt feelings. And here's the hard truth: the closer someone is to you, the greater the impact of their actions when they hurt you. Take a moment to really absorb this: the more someone means to us, the deeper their offense can go. We often get wrapped up in how we're treated and justify our offense based on what was done to us. If you think back to your childhood, chances are, you experienced some trauma. And yes, trauma sucks. I know it well. I’ve spent 43 years of my life trapped in the bait of satan, focusing on being hurt, offended, and angry. And I’ll tell you, that feeling sucks. I didn’t like it—at all.     I attended therapy for about five years, and while it’s helped me, it hasn’t “healed” the deep wounds of the past. Those feelings were always there, lingering. But the real question is: How do you get over the offen...
Read more

Obedience

  It’s been a while since I last posted a blog. To be honest, I don’t always want to write these. Sharing my thoughts here feels vulnerable, and I don’t like opening myself up to criticism or discomfort. But I’ve realized I can’t keep thinking that way. My fear of being uncomfortable has actually been standing in the way of my obedience to God. So, I’m going to do my best to stop dragging my feet and simply do as He asks. For those who know me well, you know I can be a little stubborn. If someone told me to do something, one of two things would usually happen: either I’d listen (which wasn’t often), or I’d go out of my way not to do it—just because they told me to. Yep, that’s me! I haven’t shared my full testimony yet, and one day I will—either by writing it out or recording it. I’m still deciding. My story isn’t one of addiction or prison—it’s one of rebellion. But that’s a post for another day. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been quiet. Watching. Listening. Reflecting—not onl...
Read more