Unconditional

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres".

I've been reminded a lot lately of the the importance of love and the command we have to love one another without condition...the way that Christ loves us (in that while we were still sinners, He died for us). While Jesus was in Jerusalem, the Pharisees and Sadducees were trying to prove that Christ was not who He claimed to be. They asked Him in Matthew 22:36, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" To this Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments" (Matt 22:37-40). Nowhere in that command does Jesus say to love your neighbor only if they are nice to you and do everything you want them to do. That wouldn't be much of a commandment or sacrifice. Rather, He says to love your neighbor, who may be your greatest enemy, as yourself. God knows that we are a self-centered people. I think that why He wants us to love our neighbors as much as we love ourselves. With that same attitude we are to love our enemies, with a love that is sacrificial, true and pure.

Recently as situation has arisen that has reminded me of this. We were put on this earth to love wholeheartedly, and not to judge. I think that the only way to get someone to see the err of their ways is to love them unconditionally no matter what their sin is. Is their sin greater than my sin? NO!! We are all sinners saved only by grace. Someone's sin of adultery is no greater than my sin of cursing the salesperson who takes too long to check me out. So why do we act like the person who has committed such a sin openly is unclean? We are ALL unclean...only made clean through the blood of Christ. Just because our sin is more private doesn't make it less of a sin. This goes back to my previous blog about wearing a mask so people will think we have it all together. We can act like there is no sin in our lives and condemn others of their open sin. Or we can choose to show the kindness and love of the Father to His children and realize that we all struggle with sin. Rather than cutting each other down, maybe we can help each other out and hold each other accountable in love.

The choice is ours.