“Sweetheart,” the young mother said, as she leaned over her teenage daughter sitting on the couch pouting. “Don’t you understand that God and I love you UN-conditionally?”
“If that’s the case then you’d let me do what I want to do and it would be okay, right? the daughter replied.
“Well, that’s not what I meant.” the mother responded.
“Then your love is conditional and God is a liar!” the daughter shouted, stomping out of the room.
Is our declaring un-conditional love being misunderstood and with that declaration, is another toxic virus of excusing sinful behavior slipping in with this term? It wasn’t long ago that while attempting to explain what God’s un-conditional love was like, that I was challenged much in the same way that the daughter in the above scenario challenged her mother.
As I thought about what that meant – that there were no conditions to the love … I saw that as a miss directed thought. It’s not that there are not conditions to love, it is that no matter what the condition, a person is loved. But the clinging concept is that there are no conditions because of our blurred use of the word.
Therefore, would it not be a better thing to say that God’s love is ABSOLUTE. In all situations, in all forms, and with all correction and direction. His love is supreme and profound – no matter what.
Of course there are conditions. We will always reap what we sow. Perhaps there is a need for clarification when addressing the profound love of God.
Shannon Parish is the Founder of Sarah’s Tent and President of Living Stones Center. She is an award winning cartoonist and graphic recorder who, after more than thirty years of ministry and as a Life Coach utilizes her artistic talent to teach and Illustrate You.