Why does God love us? How do we love others? This came to me today, and I have thought about it a great deal. We certainly aren't deserving from the aspect of our actions. Most of us slip into a self serving state, we envy other's or their relationships or their possessions. We boast at our accomplishments and our knowledge, and take pride in them. We are often easily angered, all we have to do is have someone repeat something that we find offensive and the angers swells up within us until the pressure finds an escape. We keep records -you did this.... We do evil things, we gossip, we set traps, we try and manipulate people to do what we want. We give up on people, and relationships, passing a judgment that they will not or cannot change, we normally don't trust people- we eye them with a "healthy dose of skepticism", we don't usually protect people from their own actions but rather let them hang themselves.

These are all the opposite of love, and yet God loves us. My conclusion may be in error but I think He loves us for the unique people we are. Not for what we do, or have done, or didn't do. Not for any personal action. Nor does He love us because of the way we treat His other loved ones. So its not our actions toward others, or lack of that is the reason God loves us.

I think the reason is contained in the hopes He has for us, and even if we don't realize that hope or move that direction in life still He has that hope.

We like God have to love our brothers and sisters on this planet the way He loves us. Because they happen to interact and be a part of our lives. We need to embrace all the relationships in our lives. Too often we like to pick and choose. Come to a deeper understanding how to live and realize youthful mistakes were made. It doesn't matter, we have to take all those relationships where they are at hope positive things for the future. Focusing on the past, what may have been missed, etc is not love but rather it opens the door for selfishness. On the other hand we can't be blind to current actions, and not be true to our feelings about them. Overlooking (although I don't really think that is possible- to overlook you must see) sets us up to feed the selfish nature in other's. We may feel like victims sometimes, but we probably contribute.

I was also reminded today to be careful about the hopes for the future. We easily get caught up in them, and then if they aren't realized bitterness and regret come knocking.

We have to look at others as the unique people they are. Love them for now and who they are, not past actions, nor what you expect in the future. See them as the unique one of a kind treasure they are.

There is no scripture review, although I read 1 Cor 13 and Romans 12 before writing this, they definitely fit. Also I heard radio shows on Romans 12. My review of 1 Cor 13 which I have done but not posted, left me feeling like I had not done it justice. That chapter is so deep and powerful that doing it justice is difficult. Its my prayer to love people the way it says to.