“If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t have love, I’ve gotten nowhere…” .(1 Corinthians 13:3, MSG)
Two of my favorite people once owned a log cabin home in the rolling hills of southeastern Ohio. One day, Ralph was fixing a few shingles on the roof of their house when a strong wind knocked the ladder over. Rain began to fall, and lightning could be seen in the distance. Ralph hollered for Wilma who was inside the house, but she didn’t hear his cries for help. So, Ralph stomped on the roof several times until Wilma finally stepped outside. Wilma inquired as to what Ralph wanted. Ralph told her that the ladder had fallen over, and he needed her to set it upright. Wilma sauntered over to the ladder yet just before placing it adjacent to the roof, Wilma revealed an impish grin on her face. With a mischievous glint in her eye, Wilma smiled and asked, “Ralph, just how much do you love me?”
Conditional love. Most of us are quick to recognize the kind of love that is based on contingencies. The verse quoted above indicates that no matter how great the sacrifice if it is done apart from a posture of unconditional love, my true intent is to manipulate you. The examples are seemingly endless.
“If you truly loved me you’d let my mother move in.” “If I am that important to you, you’d stop asking me to go to the opera.” “If you value our relationship you would try harder to make me happy.”
Yet Paul claims that the kind of love God seeks from His children is devoid of conditions. The commandment of loving our neighbor as we do ourselves is often misunderstood. The Great Command doesn’t ask us to love people as they love us, but to love them as we want to be loved.
Each of us wants to be loved unconditionally. We want people to tolerate our quirkiness. We want people to look beyond our eccentricities. We want people to forgive us when we have hurt them.
So, Paul says, “Love this way. Talk to them the way you would want them to talk to you. Treat them as you would have them treat you.”
Besides, loving your neighbor as you want to be loved is in everyone’s best interest. Well, along with finding the good sense to get off the roof before it rains.
Two of my favorite people once owned a log cabin home in the rolling hills of southeastern Ohio. One day, Ralph was fixing a few shingles on the roof of their house when a strong wind knocked the ladder over. Rain began to fall, and lightning could be seen in the distance. Ralph hollered for Wilma who was inside the house, but she didn’t hear his cries for help. So, Ralph stomped on the roof several times until Wilma finally stepped outside. Wilma inquired as to what Ralph wanted. Ralph told her that the ladder had fallen over, and he needed her to set it upright. Wilma sauntered over to the ladder yet just before placing it adjacent to the roof, Wilma revealed an impish grin on her face. With a mischievous glint in her eye, Wilma smiled and asked, “Ralph, just how much do you love me?”
Conditional love. Most of us are quick to recognize the kind of love that is based on contingencies. The verse quoted above indicates that no matter how great the sacrifice if it is done apart from a posture of unconditional love, my true intent is to manipulate you. The examples are seemingly endless.
“If you truly loved me you’d let my mother move in.” “If I am that important to you, you’d stop asking me to go to the opera.” “If you value our relationship you would try harder to make me happy.”
Yet Paul claims that the kind of love God seeks from His children is devoid of conditions. The commandment of loving our neighbor as we do ourselves is often misunderstood. The Great Command doesn’t ask us to love people as they love us, but to love them as we want to be loved.
Each of us wants to be loved unconditionally. We want people to tolerate our quirkiness. We want people to look beyond our eccentricities. We want people to forgive us when we have hurt them.
So, Paul says, “Love this way. Talk to them the way you would want them to talk to you. Treat them as you would have them treat you.”
Besides, loving your neighbor as you want to be loved is in everyone’s best interest. Well, along with finding the good sense to get off the roof before it rains.