Conditional Love

Terms and conditions now seem to apply to every single sales pitch around. Every benefit now comes with an “if” part, that makes one wonder if there are still some freebies anywhere. 

If you have been around a while, such lines of conversation would not be alien to you: 

“Mummy, Jesse showed me his new sports car this afternoon. You open the door, sit on its soft chair and off you drive!” 

” Seriously?”, she said not looking away from the vegetables she is chopping. 

“Yes mummy”, his voice was raised in excitement. 

“I told him I will be coming over today after school to take a few turns” 

“Okay. That will be cool… After your homework though” 

“Sure mummy”. He runs over and gives her a hug behind. 

Silence. 

“But mummy, will daddy buy me my own sports car?” 

“That will be if you can make straight A’s this term” 

As harmless as this seems, our parents etched on our untainted minds, conditions for every worthwhile gift. Now we strive and get into the press, trying to meet several many conditions. It makes it seem like we must do something to earn another. 

But reading through the Bible, we see God’s love which has no conditions. 

Romans 5:8 said unequivocally that “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” 

Did you see that? While we were not even friends with God; when we were like the devil inside, and did whatever Satan bid us do; when we never did a single thing right , God’s love came chasing us down the road and ran over us. 

Cory Asbury sang it so well.

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God

Oh, it chases me down, fights ’til I am found, leaves the ninety-nine

I couldn’t earn it, and I don’t deserve it, still, you give Yourself away

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God. 

You see, people have opined that mother’s love is the purest and it is like God’s love. That would have been quite true if only it comes without few sprinkles of “ifs” This love tends to defer to the most respectful and obedient one in the family. God is good to all His creatures. He gives rain to the thankful and the wicked. God does not segregate in His love. 

As we learn about God’s unconditional love, it helps us learn to give ours selflessly and without conditions too.

Perhaps you have not come to embrace this love, this is a very good place to begin.