By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

This testimony of a Capetonian lady made me realize the value of unconditional love and acceptance:

Surina was late for school every day. Sometimes she only arrived at school around 10:30 in the morning. Her homework was not done and in class, she was the one causing chaos. The teachers eventually began losing hope that she would ever change. After yet another insident in class, Surina’s teachers went to the principal of the school demanding that she be suspended from school.

What they did not know, was that Surina’s parents both were alcoholics. When she arrives home after school, her parents were already drunk. When she did try to do homework, her father, in between the constant quarrels in the family, would destroy her school books. Surina confesses that at the time, her future seemed as dark as her present. She did not see any escape from these tough times.

Instead of a suspension, the principal gave Surina’s teachers a one week challenge. For one week, they had to show unconditional love and compassion towards her. Their words had to build her up and inspire her as they strive to create a safe environment in which she would feel accepted - despite how she acts. Initially, this sounded like an impossible task. Yet, the teachers agreed to it for one week.

Great was the surprise when already within a few days, their change in attitude brought a change in Surina's actions. Not only did she start coming to school earlier each morning, her homework, for the first time in months, was to date and as the "one week" challenge became weeks, the teachers stood in utter amazement to see how Surina, the rebel, changed into an achiever.

Today, Surina is happily married, a mother of a little boy and she runs a successful business that trades internationally. What brought the change? Unconditional love and acceptance.

Do you realize that God also accepted and loved us unconditionally while we were still full of sin? In Romans 5:8 we read, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Nothing we did in the past cannot be forgiven if we repent and turn back to Him. This is confirmed in Numbers 14:18: “The LORD is slow to anger and filled with unfailing love, forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion.”

God desires a relationship with each of us. Did He not offer up his only Son for us? Let us therefore thank Him for his unconditional love and acceptance and strive towards showing this also to our difficult colleagues at work, our rebellious children at home and even our grumpy neighbours. Through a changed attitude we might, like Surina's teachers, stand in utter amazement at the healing God brings in people’s lives. God bless.

Father God , thank You for Your unconditional love and acceptance. Help me to have the same attitude towards other people in my life. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen