Mutual Unconditional Love
-John 3:16-17
Many of us can count on one hand the number of unconditional relationships that we have had during our life outside of our immediate family members with many of our family relationships not being unconditional either. A person is very fortunate indeed if during their life time they have had the privilege of one or two relationships with individuals where there is a bond of mutual unconditional love. What would a relationship of this kind look like? It would be two people who accept one another completely and totally and nothing would be able to get them to walk away from the relationship they have forged together. Relationships that share and display mutual unconditional love can only be described as spiritual friendships. This kind of relationship is impossible without the love that God sows in the hearts of both friends.
Spiritual friendships are unique. Spiritual friendships move far beyond what is found in our “everyday” friendships and acquaintances. It may seem idealistic or even impossible to imagine a friendship so deep and true, but the reality is that if God is placed at the center of a friendship it can be transformed into something that goes far beyond the quid pro quo nature of most relationships. True spiritual friends are not looking out for themselves or for what they can gain from their relationship. They give from the heart without tallying up anything that might be “owed” them. They go out of their way to “serve” in the very best sense of the word, expecting nothing in return. A spiritual friendship practices mutual unconditional love.
