Unconditional Love

Christianity comes with an amazing promise: the hope of eternal life. However, I remember thinking as a young person that is a long time away. So, what are the benefits of being a Christian for the here and now? After many years of experience, I can confidently answer that being a Christian builds strong people. I am not talking about muscle bound mental light weights. Tight butts are interesting, but everyone has a butt. I’m talking about people of strong character, people that you can build a life around … who you can trust to have your back. People who have experienced and can show unconditional love.

Developing Strong Character

So, what does it mean to have strong character? First let me say that it doesn’t happen by magic. You have to exercise or develop your character. Just like you exercise your muscles.

Luckily, we have a list of the characters we need in the fruits of the Spirit. Love is one of these luscious fruits. Not romantic love…which fades away, but “real” love which lasts. Sorry young people, I hate to burst the bubble, but the kind of love displayed mostly on TV and movies, romantic love, is really just infatuation, meaning an intense but short-lived passion for someone. Yeah, I know you think she is “so fine” and you can’t stop thinking about her, but I can say from experience romantic love is good, but true love is even better.

Unconditional Love

Let me give you a real-life example. Lizzy is a mother and wife who unconditionally and sacrificially loves her children…and her husband. Some of this is her mothering instinct, but it is not just that. Not all mothers love their children in this way. Not all mothers are willing to sacrifice all for their children. I’ve heard many mothers say “I can’t wait until they turn 18. When they turn 18 they are on their own.”  In other words, I’ve sacrificed enough for these kids.  

Not so with Liz. Our children adults now, yet this week Liz sacrificed almost all of her time for them. Sunday was babysitting grandkids at Chandlers. Tuesday morning early, it was getting Juliet to the bus stop, in the cold, then, babysitting Scarlet, and, next, making dinner for the Gecks. Wednesday, it was back to Chandler’s. Thursday brought a return trip to the Whitney’s. Friday was a normal day: washing dishes, doing a fews load of laundry, taking the dog to the vet, taking her mother to the bank and to get groceries, going to the cleaners for me, and cooking an amazing, diabetic-friendly, dinner for me.  Did I tell you Liz is retired?  No sitting around watching movies for her.

Choosing a Mate

When I met Liz, she was sixteen and raising two very young children, whose mother had run off and left them. I recognized that this was a person with unselfish concern for others. Young people when you are looking for a mate, you want to a mate that demonstrates this kind of love. It is guaranteed that they will show you and your children unconditional love.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23

Copyright © 2020 Chuck Locklear

Also, see Royal Birth.