Unconditional (adj.): not conditional or limited; absolute, unqualified (Merriam-Webster)
Love (verb): Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. . . it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinithians 13:4,7)
Sometimes God uses the smallest things or events to remind us of the greatest truths, and that is exactly what happened to me today at Vacation Bible School. This past week I have been helping in the Hand in Hand VBS class, which is a class for kids with any range of specials needs, but they are some of the sweetest kids you will ever meet. Not to go into too great of detail, but today I saw some third grade girls laughing at/mocking one of my friends from Hand in Hand; I was furious to say the least. But why? Well, on the surface it was because these girls were making fun of someone just for doing something that she can't change, but the longer I thought about why I was angry, I realized something much deeper than that. Despite the fact that many of us don't like to admit it, we all have our flaws, and most of us do our best to try and hide those flaws from the rest of the world. However, some people may not be able to cover those flaws as well as the rest of us, but does that give us license to judge them? Genesis 1:27 says, "God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." The verse does not say, "God only created people with blonde hair in his image," or "God only created people who can walk and talk 'normally' in his image." No, the verse says, "[M]ale and female HE created them." Obviously God has a plan for each and every person he creates, he didn't "slip up" or "make a mistake" by creating someone with special needs, or anyone else for that matter.
Take my sweet friend from hand in hand for example, she may not be able to walk or talk in the same way as everyone else, but I can guarantee that she has one of the kindest souls of anyone I know; her hugs and smiling face that greeted me every morning this week were exactly what I needed to start off my day right. And just like my friend, we all have our pros and cons, but God loves us just the same, so shouldn't we do so as well? Luke 10:27 says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself." So next time I see someone who may be slightly different from me or what I perceive as 'normal' I will remember (and I encourage you to do the same) to look for the positive qualities in that person and keep in mind that none of us are perfect; Christ--the greatest example of unconditional love that there ever was, is, or is to come--died for us ALL.
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Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.
Psalm 143:10
