Have you ever heard yourself say, “I’m trying to love them” or “I’m trying to be loving”? What does that mean?

I think it means that our love only counts if the other person receives it. If we’re rejected, we’ve failed to be loving. Our success depends entirely on the other person’s response.

Did Jesus try to love the world, and fail? Or did he fully love the world, yet the world rejected him? (John 3)

The trying/success/failure paradigm is not how the New Testament views things. We love people; we don’t try to act loving. And when they don’t respond well that doesn’t change the fact that we love them.

“Trying to be loving” might be a better description of how we act (act!) around people we don’t love.

Let’s stop trying so hard and just love each other. Because God is not trying to love us, despite all our faults. He loves us.