What is your reaction when someone says, “I love you”? Many times we feel all warm inside. We have many different emotions, but love is probably the most diverse. We love in so many different ways, and true love can bring the most intense joy, but it also brings pain.
I was thinking about the different people in my life and how much and how differently I love them. When my husband and I talk with our children and grandchildren, there is a deep love for them. Even though they don’t always know the intense meaning of love, we get all gooey inside when the little ones say, “I wuz you.” As they get older and understand the meaning of love, the words have a deeper meaning. Our life experiences contribute to our ability to love. When our adult children say, “I love you,”they have the capability of loving more deeply. They understand that love is an action word, and it is a summary of all of life’s good times and struggles. Our youngest grandchildren and our oldest children may love us with all of their hearts, but they each have a different capacity to love.
When I say, “I love you,”to my parents, a flood of memories accompany that love. I don’t remember when they changed my diapers, but I am sure it was motivated by love. The long sleepless nights were torture, and I am not talking about just when I was a baby. As a parent, I know there are more difficulties when they become teenagers than when they are babies. My parents have always been there for me no matter what. I know many people cannot say that, but I am fortunate. The word love has always been an action word in my family. Now, we said it many times, but actions spoke louder than words. No matter how old I was, I never doubted their love for me. As I get older and have more life experiences, I believe my love and appreciation for them grows. As they get older, it is my turn to show how much I love them.
Of course I love my students and their families. I could not do what I do if I did not love them. They are special to me, and I take my responsibility to them very seriously. There have been some sleepless nights due to concern for them, too.
I have a great love for my other family members and friends. There is not time to tell them all, but my deepest love on this earth is for my precious husband.
He has proven over all of these years his deep and sincere love for me. He cares about my days and my nights. He listens intently as I talk of the concerns I have for the many facets of my life. Protective! Oh my! My sweetheart loves me with all his heart, and it is an action word for him. I have never known him to put his needs or feelings above mine. I am very careful what I say I want, because he will try to get it for me. Our love has grown over the years for each other, and I am sure it will continue to grow. I sometimes wonder if that is possible, but it always happens. A marriage takes work, and I am thankful we have worked on ours all of these years. It has become a heaven on earth.
I would not trade anything for any of these relationships in my life. Love is the thread that holds them together, but they also have brought much pain. The pain of life as well as the pain of death has entered many times. I lost my brother when he was 33, and I have lost many other family members over the years. Love also hurts when someone you love is hurting. When your child is rebellious, it hurts. The deeper we love someone, the more they have the capability to hurt us. Careless words or actions drive a wound deep into our hearts.
Even with all of the joy and pain love brings our way, we must remember that our Heavenly Father’s love is the most important. He loves us unconditionally and more than anyone else. He has loved us from the foundation of the world, and He loves us now. His greatest desire is for us to ask Jesus into our lives and allow Him to be our Savior. He wants us to be in His family, not Satan’s.
All of heaven rejoices when we become a member of God’s family. Once we accept Christ as our Savior, it is Satan’s goal to hurt God through us. The devil has already lost our soul, but he wants to hurt in whatever way he can. As a parent, one of the easiest ways to hurt me has been to hurt my children. God is no different. Can you imagine the times His heart has been broken because of our actions? It must be hard to be God. I know how much the people I love can hurt me, and I do not love them perfectly. God loves all people, and He loves them perfectly.
When someone dies and goes to hell, He hurts. When I sin, He is saddened. When I rebel against him, He grieves. When I doubt Him, He is disappointed. Multiply those hurts by all of the people in the world over all of the ages.
We have an awesome responsibility. We must treasure the love of the people in our lives, but most of all, we must treasure the love of God. We must seek to love Him with all of our hearts. If we love Him completely, we will trust and obey Him. Our lives will be complete. May the love of God fill your hearts today.
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Mark 12:30.
Mrs. Worthington has five children and eleven grandchildren. She serves as Principal of Pathway Christian Academy in Goldsboro.