Love is More Than a Heart-Shaped Pendant
A friend from my office returned from maternity leave after having her baby and we talked a little about working and daycare issues. She told me that her mother-in-law was coming over to their house to care for the baby and expressed a feeling that every new working mom feels; that tiny feeling that maybe your baby will love your daycare provider more than you.
I sympathized with her and gave her encouraging words, but I was also thinking about something interesting about babies. They don’t seem to love one person more than another. In fact, I think that is something that we do as we get older, which I can only assume means that it is something we learn or are taught.
Unconditional love is a difficult concept for us. We will always love one person over the other. We often have our favorites. I even admit that, while I would not want to choose, I would choose some people over others and yet God’s love is so different. He doesn’t choose anyone over anyone else. Each person is precious and unique to Him. In fact, God’s love for us goes beyond what any of us can even imagine. The closest that I think we can come to God’s love is the love that a parent has for his/her child.
Growing up, I enjoyed reading romantic novels, listening to love songs, and watching romance movies. I thought then that the idea of finding one’s soul mate was the ultimate experience of love. Admittedly, I had reduced love to a heart-shaped pendant that hung around my neck. From my teenage years and on, I went through one difficult experience of unrequited love after another. I searched for that love of a lifetime in every man that I took a shine to.
We love ourselves more than most people. We think about ourselves all the time and dwell on our own actions, wants, and needs. We have to actually struggle to think about other people. It is something that we labor to do. That’s why Jesus said that we should love our neighbors as ourselves because He knew that we would understand that concept. God doesn’t labor to love us. He has loved us from the day He created us until forever.
After I married and learned that love between a man and woman was hard work, I had a baby and for the first time and then I learned an entirely different understanding of love. I understood how a parent could give his/her life for their child and as my child grows and matures, I am learning to let go. I am learning to be careful not to take ownership of another human being. How we interact with others is the measure of how much we understand what God is trying to teach us. We are children to Him, and He loves us all equally. I think we have to strive to do that as much as possible.
My limited understanding of unconditional love came through my relationship with Christ. God, as a parent, gave His only Son for us. I would never do that. I would hold my son close and tell you that no matter how many souls perished, you could never have my precious child. God, as the Son, gave His life willingly and knowingly, for all of us. I wouldn’t do that, either.
The wonderful thing about God is that He was willing to give up the best for the least of us. He was willing to sacrifice the greatest human being ever born, in order that the most debased and ugly souls could live through Him. That’s real love. The least we could do is to try to reach up and grab that kind of love.
November 24th, 2008 · 3 Comments
Categories: DE Thoughts
Randy said
am November 24 2008 @ 5:17 pm
I wonder if unconditional love is actually possible for human beings? It appears so, when you look at a mothers love for her child, and as you mentioned, the apparent lack of favoritism on the part of infants. But a more cynical view would argue that the mothers love is self-serving, and that the infant is just wowed by everything…but is primarily in love with the one who puts food in it’s mouth.
Can we really love unconditionally? Or is that something only God can do? Is conditional love, by exptrapolation, inferior love, some kind of shadow of the real deal?
Randy Sabourin said
am December 25 2008 @ 10:11 am
It is CristMass Mourning where i am (Las Vegas) and i felt compelled to read your storys on LOve, You know , I can tell there must be love in the hearts of the persons that wrote those inspiring words.
Love Hasnt been a big part of my life thus far. It has evaded me. AS a child My Parents loved to go t Las Vegas often. THis they loved alot.
they loved eating LObster. they loved the ocean But More than anything they loved Las Vegas. To Me that was as close to love as i ever got . LV Las VEGAS , A CITY IN THE DESERT.But the city didnt love back.
The city took and took . left nothing for me and my brothers and sisters. But My parents love for the City never weavered.
When I was * 8 years old while left alone while my parents on anouther trip to las vegas. this in 1968 in riverside calf the baby sitter . a member of the children of god , the cog . church
brutally hurt me in unspeakable way s then when he was done he hit me over the head with a baseball bat the threw me over the Dam into the lake and left me for
dead.He broke me in every way possible.and some how he ,in his twisted mind did for god,
This all must sound sad oh here we baby cries baby cries. but today for the first time i can realy accept what happened that day .LOVE was there that day for me .LOVE . was there . and was there for me . I was dead in the water at the bottom of the Dammed LAKE Honestly , He told me about his Son
He’s US , I Am he said was his Name , I AM and His Son He’s US
he told me so much , felt like days . wemt by . but then he said . water can stand up , he ask if i understood. i didnt make a wave make a big wave and stand . Air u need AIr so rise . your were thrown away / But u neerd to rise now make a wave . rev it up; and get to the air a rose cannot be thrown away not here not today/
i did get out of the water . 40 year ago today,
I am not a educated person on ninth grade some of the damages from day took so soo long to heal thaT SCHOOL WASNT A OPTION FOR ME.and Cristmass anouther day alone for me . but i did get a gift today. God was here Here today . 40 yrs after i once seen him He today told me he loves me to . 48 yrs old i never once heard any voice say to me I LOVE YOU . never i y whole life till today. Today Is such a beautiful day . i cant stop crying , today is truely a beautiful day for me . LOVE I want to be as better person , i wanty to deserve it . and i know dont yet . but i can deserve it , i can start today being better than i was yesterday
I am so sorry for going on like this and sorry for misspelling so many word , But i had no one else to say this to. I truely hope i dont hurt anyone Cristmass DAY
this is suck a beautyiful day
randy sabourin
April said
am January 2 2009 @ 10:57 pm
Randy S.,
I love how you expressed yourself in your post. I’m sorry that I didn’t notice your post earlier as I have been busy during my holidays. Think how many people have yet to learn what you already know about Love. You are richer than some. Someday you will be able to look at your wounds and realize that they are what has brought you to Love.
Today, I am taking pause to remember my sister-in-law Vikki whom we lost on this very day four years ago. None of us go through this life without loss or scars. It is only how we determine to live after these events that makes the difference.
Your wounds are deeper than most, and perhaps that is the reason that God reached deeper to carry you through it. That is the real beauty of our God.
You have been saved for a purpose and that purpose is to be an example of God’s Love. My prayer for you is that you become the greatest of His examples. God bless you.