Unconditional Love

Often times I receive the compliment that I am very loving and that it seems so easy for me to share my love with others, and although I always appreciate the thoughtfulness of those words I too have to remind myself of what unconditional love really is. The Savior loved unconditionally, and loved everyone and has a perfect love for us all.

I'm always so quick to judge my family members because they do not live the gospel the same way I do, or because I don't agree with the choices they make. What will bring them back to the gospel is if I can love them unconditionally...no matter what. It's a challenge for me not to get on my soap box and preach to them, I know that I need to accept them for who they are and believe in the power of hope, the hope that we will be an eternal family one day.

About 1 year ago I read an article in the Ensign that really hit home for me. The story was about a girl who had a hard time accepting some of the choices her sister had made because it had affected their relationship. The below part made me think of my own actions towards my family:

"I know that my duty as Leigh’s sister is not to condemn her but to love her. My task is to try to follow the Savior. The rest is simply out of my hands, and my sister still needs the friend she once had in me. If the gospel has taught me anything, it is how to be a friend. I can learn to love her without condoning her lifestyle, and I can reach out to her in a way that she needs. After all, it is the Savior’s role, not mine, to heal her."

So, I sit back and think..."Yes, if the Savior were here right now with me He would love my siblings regardless." Does it make me a "better" person cause I attend church every Sunday? Nope, not at all. I still see so much good in all my brother's and sisters despite the fact that they make different choices than me. I continue to pray that I will be able to express that accepting, unconditional love to my family. Hopefully one day they will be able to feel God's love for them through me.

It's humbling to know that we are all capable of developing that attribute of Christ-like love. After all, the Savior loves us all regardless of our many imperfections. Having learned this lesson I now try to put my judging eyes away and love like He would if He were here on earth.