Displays Of Love

           

          It’s fascinating to watch my small grandchildren react with pure delight when their mother walks into the room, or the opposite, agony and fear when she leaves.  There is no doubt that these little ones, despite who else is around they may know, rely on their mother.  She is the focal point of all they do.  Their greatest effort is to please her, to win her approval in all their activities. 

            We see displays of love all around us if we are observant.  A couple will hold hands while walking; gifts given at special times of year – or – a gift given ‘just because;’ other times a child will love on a sibling; flowers are picked by a child; or any variety of options.  

          There are all kinds of ways to display love to those you care about…..  and perhaps even to strangers.  Love can be demonstrated here by taking someone to a theater, a fair or festival, to ballroom dancing or a botanical garden, enjoying a food fair or river boat rides, as well as taking in an art museum or visiting a park!   

            For a stranger, a demonstration of God’s love may be buying a ticket or a lunch; paying for someone’s purchase of groceries, or load groceries into someone’s car; offer to cut someone’s lawn, fix a car (if you have the skill), offer food from a garden and whatever creative idea you can conjure in your mind!  

            A friend of mine recently lost two grandchildren in a house fire.  She is devastated and still reeling from the event.  Another friend, in this same week lost his son to suicide.  Our world is hurting!  Loving on these people who are suffering is yet another way to demonstrate God’s love.  We can’t take their pain, but we can be there for a shoulder to cry on, an ear for venting anger without being judgmental, a hug to soften the tears and someone to just be with them in their hour of need.

            God’s love for us parallel’s a mother’s to her children. God’s love reaches beyond what we can do for a friend in pain or a stranger who feels lost.  But when our love is sincere to someone else, it can have much the same effect as my small grandchildren to their mother.  Our greatest goal should be to please Him. Our greatest efforts toward reaching that goal should be placed in the forefront of all we do.   

When we obey his word by sharing our love, we are displaying our love for Him. When we fail, we should react like the small child: with agony and fear until we have made things right.   Our agony and fear may not be demonstrated with tears or other demonstrative behavior, but our hearts will be heavy with contrition with the great need to remedy the wrong.

Displays of love for our Father, who loves us beyond anything we can compare, are what we will carry within us when we are made complete in him.  I encourage you to demonstrate His love with everyone you meet, through your actions, words…..and even your thoughts!