I have three children. (I probably have mentioned that in previous posts. I talk about them a lot! 😊) I love my children with my whole heart. I think they are greatest kids ever. I think they are the smartest, most talented and most interesting kids on earth. I think they are the best at all that they do. And I think they are spectacular in every way.
Now you may say, “Come on now, your kids can’t be all that.” But I would disagree. You may say, “No one is perfect.” And I would say, “But my kids come close!” You may contend that I am delusional and not seeing reality. And I would challenge you to explain what the reality is that you want me to see.
Do you think that I should only see my children’s shortcomings? They have them. Should I only look at their mistakes? They’ve made plenty of those. Should I remember our arguments or hurtful words spoken? Should I focus on the times they broke my heart? Is that the reality I’m supposed to see when I look at my kids? I say, “NO thank you!”
The reality is that a mother’s love for her kids is a strong cord that binds them to her heart. That love covers shortcomings and supports strengths. That love sees more but is willing to see less. That love rejoices in victories and weeps in adversities. That love forgives and forgets. A mother’s love will always fight for her children. (By the way, the same can be said for a father’s love, but since I’m a mother, I can only speak from that perspective.)
I say all this, not because my children are so much better than any other children, but because they are MY children. I see them through a mother’s eyes of love. I see the best in them, and I look past their faults. I root for them in every endeavor and I am always on their side. I recognize that they are not perfect, that they make mistakes and sometimes make bad choices, but those things don’t linger in my mind. I am always anticipating success for them in everything that they do. And I am thrilled for every victory they achieve. To be clear, I don’t turn a blind eye to any offenses, nor do I pretend that they have no misconducts. It is understood that reproof and correction are as necessary a part of love as forgiving and forgetting.
I do not claim to be any kind of special mom. I am well aware of my shortcomings and if I think too much about my performance as a mother, I feel completely inadequate. But I love my kids. And I try to do the best I can for them. And even though they are now grown adults with families of their own, I want to be there for them, whenever I can.
And all of this got me thinking…
We became God’s children when we got born again. That makes God our Father. The Bible is explicit about this being our relationship with Him. Time and time again, God tells us that He loves us. And if I, being a finite human mom with all my frailties, can love my children as much as I do; how much BIGGER is our Heavenly Father’s love for us?? Our Father, God who is perfect, eternal and omnipotent loves us with an everlasting unfathomable love. As strong as my love is for my kids (and grandkids), it a grain of sand on the whole coast of Florida compared to God’s love for us.
It is interesting to note, that it is because of God’s great love for me that I can love my family the way that I do. It is because He loved me so much, that I can walk in love. It is how God treats me that teaches me how to treat others. It is the way He looks at me that shows me the way I should look at others. And it is the way He cares for me that enables me to care for others. Recognizing God’s great love for us is key to helping us love others.
The Bible instructs us to be followers of God as dear children. (Ephesians 5:1) The Greek word for ‘followers’ means ‘imitators’. We are to imitate God. And one of the most important things that we can imitate is His love. The instruction to be an imitator of God is not given to only mothers and fathers. All of God’s children are to be imitators of their Heavenly Father. And all of us can imitate His love by loving our physical family as well as our spiritual family.
Now to bring this full circle…
When I look at my children (and grandchildren) and my heart swells with love for them, I am reminded that God must look at me in the same way – only much bigger! When I look past my children’s shortcomings, I remember that God looks past mine. When I see my children hurting and my heart aches to help them, I think how much God’s heart aches to help me. In other words, the love that I feel helps me recognize and appreciate God’s love for me. It helps me to understand and accept how much and why God loves me.
The greatest act of love that we can do for anyone is to give them God’s Word. Think about it… God’s Word gives people the information they need in order to get born again. And getting born again gives them ETERNAL LIFE. What could be more loving than offering someone eternal life? God’s Word also gives us instructions for living a more abundant life and helps us develop a true vital relationship with Him NOW. With God’s love we have everything to gain and nothing to lose!
So, the next time you look at your loved ones and feel all that love you have for them, remind yourself that as strong as that love feels, it is no match for the unlimited love that God has for you (and them). God’s love is a living reality. And when you think about how GREAT God’s love is, remember that you can be an imitator that love. And the circle will be complete.
Note to my readers: We can’t go wrong when we are imitating God! Thanks for reading!! ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥