People are writing and talking these days about unconditional love. I believe in it. My understanding of it is based on the love that God has for us. This is real, unconditional love: God loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins, while we were active sinners with nothing at all to commend us to His love and grace. (I John 4:10; Romans 5:8) Nothing you and I have done or can do will separate us from that love. Our behavior, good or bad, does not change His love and concern for us and His interest in us.
However, and this is a big proviso, if we want to enjoy a personal relationship with God, we must reciprocate. Jesus said, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them." (John 14:23) If we want to enjoy Family privileges, we will have to take Family responsibility. "So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God." (I John 3:10) To me, it is clear that we are the beneficiaries of the all-encompassing, unconditional love of God--as are all people, whether or not we and they choose to receive it. But the love expressed in personal relationship demands a fitting response.
Not everyone understands that, even on the human level. I have had acquaintances over the years who were "takers" rather than givers or sharers. They did not seem to think that what they did or said made any difference in our connection; it all depended on me. They were grateful, they told me, for my always being there for them, but they felt little obligation to be supportive of me. One in particular expressed appreciation for "accepting me as I am." (Implicit in this was "sin and all," mistaking gentle tolerance for what could have become genuine, heart-level comradeship.) While I believe in the love that says, "You don't have to do anything or be anything or change anything for me to love you," I also know that lasting friendships and strong marriages and family relationships are built on the God-kind of love that requires commitment.
MaryMartha
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Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.
Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
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