Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People

by Bob Goff

There’s a difference between good judgment and living in judgment. The trick is to use lots of the first and to go a little lighter on the second.

What I’m learning about love is that we have to tackle a good amount of fear to love people who are difficult.

Am I really so insecure that I surround myself only with people who agree with me? When people are flat wrong, why do I appoint myself the sheriff to straighten them out? Burning down others’ opinions doesn’t make us right. It makes us arsonists.

Arguments won’t change people. Simply giving away kindness won’t either. Only Jesus has the power to change people,

Here’s the deal: when we act like someone we’re not, it’s often because we’re not happy with who we are. We might think we need other people’s permission or love or approval before we can live our lives and pursue our beautiful ambitions. It’s both good and bad. It’s good if it causes us to want to pursue Jesus’ love and approval more. But it’s bad if we miss out on who God uniquely made us to be so we can be who someone else thinks we should be. God has never looked in your mirror or mine and wished He saw someone else.

The next time you’re tempted to boast, just say under your breath, “It’s not about me.” Say it a dozen times a day. Say it a thousand times a month. Say it when you wake up and when you go to sleep.

People who are becoming love understand God guides us into uncomfortable places because He knows most of us are too afraid to seek them out ourselves.

Many of us have arms and feet we can move to help others, but we choose not to. We shy away from people we don’t understand or who intimidate us because they’re different from us.

Karl’s life is not unlike the story of a young boy with a few fish and some bread. Jesus tells us to bring what we have to Him, and He will make something amazing out of it.

He knows that without risk we can’t grow. God didn’t promise us a safe life. Instead, He said He would give us a dangerous, courageous, and purposeful one if we’ll take Him at His word and stay engaged.

What Kabi and I are both learning about love and grace and forgiveness is that none of us needs to fully understand it to fully receive it.

One thing has remained the same. Every time I wonder who I should love and for how long I should love them, God continues to whisper to me: Everybody, always.