I remember a bumper sticker from many years ago, made by some of our New Jerusalem Community members, quoting something I told them again and again: “God does not love you because you are good, but you are good because God loves you.” I was so happy they chose that quote, but I think we have improved on it thirty years later. Now I say, “God does not love you because you are good, God loves you because God is good.” Both sayings are true—in fact, the older I get the more I am sure that God does all the giving and we do all the receiving.

God is always and forever the initiator and we are always the recipients. That is not to say that our mustard seed of response does not matter, but it is still “the tiniest of all the seeds” (Matthew 13:32). God makes use of everything that we offer, and seems most grateful for the smallest bit of connection from our side.