After all, what is it that every individual longs for, the things in fact that he believes are his deserved right?
- He wants to be understood
- He wants to be loved
- He wants to have something he can trust
Unconditional love, in its purest form, is a willingness to love without being understood. I was thinking about how that desire to be understood is something every single one of us shares, and I had to wonder is there is a single person who is understood. Unconditional love wipes out the what if's--what if I am not understood? What is my love is not returned. What if it's misinterpreted and abused? It was both anguish and comfort to my heart to read John 13 and see that Christ was not understood. Seated in the center of his dearest friends, his most intimate followers, he spoke, but they didn't have a clue what he was saying.
And yet He loved them, knowing they would not-could not understand his love, knowing they could never return his love. That's unconditional.
Steadfast love, in its truest sense, is the determination to love without being loved in return. It's the reciprocation of love that makes love easy that makes it continue indefinitely. But to be steadfast in a love that is not shared? We love the socially accepted, yet He loved the Samaritan. We love those who treat us kindly, yet He loved the Roman soldier. We don't love that way.
And yet he did. In thousands of examples, he loved the very people who despised Him. He continues to. That's steadfast.
Sacrificial love, at its highest point, is a purposeful decision to love someone you do not trust. It has to be a conscious decision; it certainly does not come naturally. I'm trying to think if there is someone who I can say I love even though I do not trust. I don't know if I want to be that honest here. I can tolerate people I don't trust. I can avoid them. I can work along side them, keeping my heart distant. But love them?
And yet, my Jesus did. Knowing he would be rejected, denied, and betrayed, he loved them. That's sacrificial.
I wish I could understand His love so that I would know how to love others. I wish I could understand so that I would know how to love Him.
6 comments:
Don't give up... because you are loved.
Note: This comment has nothing to do with the post.
Hurrah! I'm now one of 'those' friends. Don't ask me what 'those' friends are 'cause I can't tell you just know that I'm one of 'those'
Hey Heather.. how are you doing? How is Christina doing? I haven't seen you in a long time.. though my little sis had you as a dorm sup.. wow.. i can't believe that you are not a sup this year.. she was sad to hear that..I have been praying for you and Christina as you two have been on my prayer list since I met ya along time ago.
Drop me a line at my blog or at dayna's.. I check hers all the time.. and yours.. but you don't post often :P
It's greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell.
thanks Katy.
Josh, glad you like being one of "those." Those as in still a friend but not present. Honestly, I didn't think it was that hard to figure out.
Joy, good to hear from you. Been a while. thanks for the prayers. Hope you're doing well.
Stephen, that has to be one of my favorite hymns ever.
There is a song that I had heard at chuch many years ago- it is called, "Love lifted me".. What a blessing it is to know that we are loved by God- but it is sad to know that we can't love Him back the way He loves us- but it is a blessing to know that we can love Him and that we can get to know Him.
p.s. i am glad that i am one of "those" friends for now- but someday i'll be one of "these" friends...but even better- i'll be "Sister"..{Sister in Christ}
Post a Comment