Talking About Love

We had a guest preacher in church this morning who used John's passages on love to talk about our role as Christians. But the one thing that hit me was something I have heard and preached on myself many times. Basically he contrasted a utilitarian view of love with a native view of love. In a utilitarian view we love others because we can get something out of the relationship. To love someone else is good for us because we get something back- tangible or intangible it doesn't matter.

With a native view each person is, in and of themselves, worthy of love. Just as they are. Not because of who they are or what they can do for me. But simply because they are. Period. No questions asked.

He then paraphrased Paul's famous verse that "while we were still sinners, God sent Jesus to die for us." As sinners we had nothing to offer God. While we were still worthless, he said, God loved us just as we are.

Yes, but...

Not to be too much of a contrarian, I want to disagree a little. Not with the basic idea of love or the view that God love us with a non-utilitarian view or that we are called to live the same kind of love. But I am not sure we were worthless before God sent Jesus. Yes, we were sinners, but worthless? Not on your life. Go back to the beginning, the very beginning. Genesis-type beginning.

In God's image He created us. Male and female were we created after the image of the creator. Before sin; yes, before original sin and the Fall we were- and have a hunch still are- created in God's likeness. That is not worthlessness. That is great intrinsic worth- worthy to be loved- in spite of the Fall, in spite of the sin we let block us from God. Lovable!

Nothing to offer to God? No, not in the way that we would think of it- a utilitarian view- but nothing? I have my voice, my life, my praise, my days and nights. That isn't nothing. That isn't why God loved me/you/us. But he unleashes that potential in us. He breaks the bonds of failings and shortcomings and sins and allows us to be the person we are created in His image to be.

And so is that person who cut you off in traffic yesterday. So is the sinner next door- as much as the sinner within. That is love because, I am convinced, that at the heart of the image of God that is within us is the ability- and the calling- to love and be loved.