UNREQUITED means (of a feeling, especially love) not returned or rewarded. In 2009 the movie, “He’s just not that into you,” was released, and the title phrase became very popular. The story revolves around nine people whose relationships are at varying degrees of crisis because of the desires, unmet needs and expectations, acceptance or rejection of their partners. The protagonist is Gigi, a woman who falls fast for men and misinterprets their every behavior as genuine love interest. As she goes through various encounters, her friend Alex has to explain to her that the men she has clung to do not share or reciprocate her feelings. Fortunately, for Gigi, eventually Alex discovers that he loves her.
This meme was especially profound in describing the word unrequited. I, myself have loved long and hard and been ignored and devalued, thinking people loved me the way I loved them. I’ve also had people attach to me too quickly and become wounded when I did not share their depth of passion. The experience and pain of unrequited love is not isolated to romantic relationships (though the closer one is, the more it hurts). It happens with parents and children, leaders and followers, bosses and workers, and friends. Is this as true for you as it is for me?
Our Lord Jesus was,“despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.“ (Isaiah 53.3) His purpose was to love, serve, an
d die for people who would reject Him. John said, “He came unto His own, and His own received him not.” (John 1:11) Paul stated he wanted to know Christ and participate or fellowship with Him in His sufferings, and become like Him in His death.(Phil. 3:10) If that is true for us, unrequited love, betrayals and rejection are a part of the deal. The same folks who cried Hosanna! a week later were shouting Crucify Him! It is somewhat comforting to know that Jesus, our High Priest, is “touched with the feeling of our infirmities.” (Heb. 4:15) He empathizes with our weaknesses, but that doesn’t take away the pain of unrequited love. It does however, challenge us to make some hard biblical adjustments. Because whether enemy or friend, there are no guarantees that your love will be acknowledged or rewarded…but it should not change. Jesus gives us a hard command that sets the standard of His love in Luke 6:
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