VIEWPOINT MAGAZINE Volume 2.3 March 2014 | Page 17

Mind and Spirit Unrequited Love By Kezia Surjadi L ove in its truest form is an act of pure sacrifice unlike Hollywood’s depiction of love, which is a wild expression of emotions generally known as infatuation. However, this “Hollywood” love is often the most pleasing because it reveals itself through exaggerated acts that is appealing to our human nature. True love, on the other hand, acts through humility that mostly receives no response. This kind of pure love that lacks response is what I like to define as unrequited love: love that is only expressed one way. This one-way love is stereotyped to only exist in romantic situations, but day by day, people ignore a love so great and patient that it becomes easy to take it for granted, or worse, to believe it does not exist at all. I’m talking about God’s love. John 3:16 tells us that out of amazing love, God gave His only Son to die a cruel and painful death so that all mankind could be redeemed. What is so special about mankind that such priceless sacrifice must be made to redeem them? Men are far from righteous. In fact, men shamelessly revel in their sins without any guilt or remorse - yet such love is shown to them. Now after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, does humankind fall on its knees and cry out in repentance? Instead, they reject God’s grace. Some even claim that God does not even exist. For so much love that was given, it is so little in return. From our perspective, it is such a waste that God should extravagantly pour His love into an unfeeling world. In God’s eyes, however, His outpouring of love is not a waste, but a perfect plan at the right time to th