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Martin Luther called Grace "undeserved Love." I, like many Lutherans grew up hearing that we do not deserve God's love. To most people, as far as I can surmise, it comes with a rather pleasant feeling. To others of us who suffer with self-esteem issues the term "undeserved Love" makes us want to crawl into a dark corner and stay there, because it means we are scum and only God can love us.

How can we love ourselves or anyone else if we are so worthless and undeserving? This teaching of Luther's if taught incorrectly does more harm to good in my opinion. But, when taught correctly it is an uplifting and joyous message.

God is love. God's love for us is unconditional. Our actions do not win God's favor; He already loves us. This means that Grace is God's action of love toward us so that we can be in a loving relationship with Him. We cannot love God as much as God loves us, but we can love Him, others and ourselves. It is through those who believe Jesus that the world will know Jesus. This does not happen through scum filled people, but through people filled with God's Grace, that is His love.

The better way for Lutherans to teach Grace is to say that Grace is God's unconditional love toward us that we do not win over, but it comes to us because God is love, and we in turn can love God, our fellow human beings and ourselves.

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