Tested again . . .

Some people are more lovable than others. Sometimes a person is more lovable at times than at other times, like a cooing baby vs. the same baby whining all day. The measurement is usually how that person (or baby) makes me feel. This is not the love of God.

The love of God is not about being lovable. If it was, He would have no reason to love me. I can be a pain in the neck to people, never mind to a holy and perfect God who looks for righteousness and whose standards are higher than I can reach or even imagine. Thankfully, His love is not based on my performance.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6–8)

The love of God is about who He is, not about who I am. It is unconditional and flows from His heart because that is who He is — a loving God.

And He tells us to love one another like that, not because of the performance of the other person but because I am given this unconditional love and able to pass it on, to love others unconditionally because of Jesus.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. (1 John 4:7–12)

I got tested on this last night at a quilter’s meeting. Quilters are a generous group and usually kind and loving rather than demanding. I sat beside a person I’d not met and soon discovered that she was an exception, critical of the way the meeting was run, the speaker, how they did the door prizes, the quilts that were displayed in ‘show and tell’ time, the temperature in the room and how long the meeting lasted.

Since love begins in the heart, my initial battle was in my own attitude. I could have responded with criticism of her critical spirit. I could have contradicted her remarks. I could have got up and moved. This was, for me, one of those “what would Jesus do?” situations.

The test included a critical remark about one of the charity quilts. She didn’t know that I had made it. Her remark was subjective and a matter of taste as the quilt itself was not wonky or ugly. How was I supposed to respond to what she said? I didn’t. I thought about defending the quilt but realized that this was not necessary. What was more important was my attitude before God. She had no idea that He was using her to test me and I knew that whatever was motivating her had nothing to do with me. Even so, thoughts of retaliation ran through my head. Thankfully, even though they came in, by the grace of God I was able to let them keep on running and go back out again.

Today I write about this as a reminder that Jesus died for me while I was still a sinner. His grace set me free from the wrath of God. I have no right nor reason to be angry with anyone who ‘sins’ even if they sin against me. Jesus changes love from something based on how the other person makes me feel to something based on the reality of His love that is based only on His character.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Lord Jesus, this is a vivid illustration of Your amazing care. I know in my head that Your love is given without me doing anything to deserve it. From this experience, I also have a bit of a glimpse of how Your love feels when I act like a jerk. I’m both amazed and humbled that You care for me because of who You are, not what I am. I’m also dumbfounded that You grant me the grace to care for others the same way.

Today’s thankful list . . .

- God loves me no matter what.

- the Holy Spirit causes that love to be spread to others through His people.

- another wonderful time of prayer with my sisters in Christ.

- a good medical system where I don’t have to wait all day for blood tests.

- my hubby is helpful wherever he sees a need!

- Finishing a quilt — finally.