Love me when I least deserve it, because that’s when I really need it.

The proverb argues that a person’s most difficult moments—when they are irritable, ashamed, defensive, or acting badly—are often signals of underlying pain or need rather than proof they are unworthy of care. It distinguishes between approving of behavior and offering steadfast affection: love is framed as a stabilizing response that can interrupt cycles of guilt, isolation, and escalation. The line is frequently invoked in parenting, intimate relationships, and counseling to encourage compassion alongside boundaries, suggesting that support is most transformative when it is least “earned.” Its emotional force comes from reversing the usual logic of merit: need, not deserving, becomes the measure for love.

Love me when I least deserve it, for that is when I need it most.
Love me most when I deserve it least.
Love me when I don’t deserve it, because that’s when I need it the most.