I love my children, with just about all that I have. But it's funny you know, because they didn't do anything, they didn't love me first, they didn't 'prove them self worthy', they aren't 100% obedient to my every demand, command and want, they don't always smell the nicest, behave the best, look the prettiest, they arn't perfectly quiet and submissive, and yet with just about all that I have (need some left for God & my hubby) I love them. Regardless of how ridiculus things some times gets.
I remember hearing someone or a group of people talk about a fool I once knew. His mother would ALWAYS tell him how WONDERFUL he was and clearly those amongst this group lacked the inner knowledge that this mother obviously had. Hey! I was young and silly once. We said that his mother gave him a big head and THAT was why he was so... so... horrible. But NOW I can see the value in what this mother did. She loved him unconditionally, and told him so. He had confidence to be who he was, and none of us could hack it, he didn't care if we told him he was err.. an idiot... because he knew the truth in his heart. There is a difference between confidence and pride (without humility).
Gary Chapman writes; “Unconditional love is a full love that accepts and affirms a child for who he is, not for what he does. No matter what he does (or does not do), the parent still loves him…..Conditional love is based on performance and is often associated with training techniques that offer gifts, rewards, and privileges to children who behave or perform in desired ways.)*
I often hear words spoken about unconditional love and I guess that I have been playing with the true meaning behind it over the past few weeks/months.
Regardless of what my children have done, what they do, how they behave, what they do not do, etc etc etc I LOVE THEM with just about all that I have. I tell them hundreds of times per day that I love them. Even while they are BUSY playing I'll call out to one of them and tell them that I love them, or tell them to come to me then tell them that I love them, or I'll sign language that I love them when we are out and too far away to talk. I want them to have not even a doubt in their hearts that I love them unconditionally.
But it brings me to the thoughts of the Fathers love. It also is unconditional. I love God not because I did something right to win his favor but because he already loved me, Regardless of ALL the failures in my life, unconditionally he loves me... Now that's Grace!!
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