"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Psalm 139:13-14
Yesterday I went in to wake my 9 year old by teasing, "Okay-- rise and call me blessed." You know from Proverbs 31 her children rise and call her blessed. Like that is ever gonna happen in my house. Guess what, he grinned and said, "You are blessed mom." That made my day! These moments of unexpected bliss are why I went through the hassle of birthing him, loving him, worrying about him, disciplining him, teaching him, and footing the bill for him.
God is love and he created us to share that love. Maybe it is the same way in which we decide to get a puppy, because we want some living being to express love to. What better subject than a puppy who expects nothing from you. I guess that is why we have babies, too. Because we love to express our love and we imagine these tiny infants cuddling in our arms smiling up at us. Of course, it doesn't take long for reality to hit. Just like with the puppy who starts chewing up everything you own, kids soon learn to talk and "I love you" isn't always at the top of their vocabulary list. By two they don't seem to idolize you as much as they once did. Once they start school, you no longer know everything. When they become teenagers, you no longer know anything. Expressing our love for them becomes extremely challenging.
Children aren't going to praise us just because we went through birthing pains to have them and all sorts of pains to raise them. However, It doesn't change the fact that we love them. We did not choose to have them so they could worship us. We wanted to love them. We loved them first ... we love them always... through it all. And if things work out right, they can carry that love with them throughout their lives when they feel like no one else in the world cares. Unselfish love endures forever in the hearts of those who recieve it.
Loving first, without expectation of love in return is what unconditional love is all about. It is why your puppy is so happy because he expects nothing. He bounces up to you for a pat or a scratch behind the ears and if he doesn't get one he doesn't mope off. Instead he bounces off somewhere else and tries again later. But if he does get a pat or a scatch he is filled with tail-wagging excitement. Everything he receives is a blessing over and above what he expected. In this same way we should reach out and love others with the heart of a puppy's love; no expectations. Giving love should be the goal that brings us joy and the return of that unexpected love, a blessing over and above our expectations.
"Remembering the words of the Lord Jesus himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Acts 20:35
2 comments:
A pet's love is so very life-sustaining. I cannot speak for childrens' love without any of my own, but it warmed my heat to hear that your son said you were blessed. That's very special, indeed.
I never thought about unconditional love like that before. In a God context. But that is exactly how He loves us. I love the way you put that!
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