What true love looks like

I was involved recently in a discussion about Christmases past, and I encouraged those who were there to share some of their memories of the Christmas season.  One of the traditions which was mentioned by several people was that of hanging up a stocking on Christmas Eve, followed by the excitement of waking up early on Christmas morning, eager to discover what gifts Father Christmas (Santa) had left!  It is interesting that the tradition seems to have continued down through the ages, though I imagine that expectations of the contents of the stocking have changed somewhat over the years!

A related tradition is for parents to use Santa's impending visit as a lever to encourage good behaviour in their children.  I seem to remember my parents promising that if I was a good boy then Santa would visit our house, and I probably said something similar to my own children.  It's certainly not unusual for modern day children to be threatened with a lack of presents if they misbehave.

Last month, Sue and I enjoyed a short break in Scarborough.  Whilst there, we popped into the local charity shop and I came cross something which made me chuckle; it seemed to me to be a great item to use as a visual aid at Christmas time.  It was a large red decorated Christmas sack, on which were the words, in large letters, 

DEAR SANTA, I HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY, VERY GOOD

I suppose that the idea is that because I have been very, very, very good, I need a large sack into which all the presents I deserve can be placed!  It seems to reinforce the stereotypical view that we get what we deserve, whether for good or ill.

One of the big problems with that understanding is that many people project it onto their understanding of God's love.  In other words, they think that God's love has to be earned and deserved.  In fact, that couldn't be further from the truth.  As the apostle Paul writes in one of his letters,

'the proof of God’s amazing love is this: that it was while we were sinners that Christ died for us.'

In a recent church service which I led, a couple brought their daughter, who was just a few weeks old, to be dedicated to God.  During the service I asked the parents whether they loved their daughter.  When, naturally, they answered, "yes", I then asked them why they loved her.  The mum responded, "because she's our daughter!"  The little girl hasn't done anything to earn her parents' love, but she is deeply loved.  If that can be true of human parents, how much more of God, our heavenly Father?

God doesn't loves us because we are good, or for anything that we can do.  He loves us because he loves us.  Nothing we can do can make him love us any more, and nothing we can do can make him love us any less.

At Christmas we celebrate the amazing truth that in Jesus Christ, God stepped into our world.  Through the earthly life of Jesus we can see the full extent of God's wonderful love for us, a love that will never end.  Now, that's worth celebrating!