As a mother, I love my children more than life itself.

There isn’t anything they could do to make me not love them. It simply isn’t possible because my love for them is unconditional.

There are, however, blessings (a.k.a. privileges) that may be withheld from them if they do not respect my love by being obedient and respectful of my rules. For example, if my daughter refuses to pick up her toys, I don’t love her any less, but she will lose the privilege of having toys to play with until she learns to pick them up when instructed to do so.

That’s what today’s verse is all about.

Jesus says that in order to truly experience His love for us at its best, we must love Him back by giving Him our whole self faithfully and obediently. This includes following God’s rules.

God’s commandments — His rules — exist for a reason. They help us live in harmony with Him and with the rest of His children.

This is not contradictory to the truth that God’s love for us is unconditional. It is simply God’s way of expressing His appreciation for our acknowledgment of that love.