Dear People Whom God Loves,
Before we get into how love can be awesome, I want to mention how love can be misunderstood. Love is gentle, but it always has a toughness to it that seeks what is good for another when things are difficult in a relationship.
Gentle and tough.
Here is an example of one without the other and of the two together. A little child is having a wonderful time playing with a butcher knife. Gentle only. Mom or dad reacts like this: My dear little child is having so much fun; I don’t want to stop her. Tough only. Mom and dad react like this: Grabs the knife away from the child and says harshly—Don’t you ever touch that knife again or I am going to beat you. Gentle and tough. Mom or dad react like this: Gently takes the knife from the child and says—This knife is very sharp and you could hurt yourself. I am very serious about this. I love you and I don’t want you to be hurt. Takes the crying child into her/his arms and says—I love you and you are a good boy/girl. Here is one of your toys. Let’s play with that.
Perhaps Jesus was thinking of this kind of love when he told us to be wise as serpents and gentle as doves.
This homey example of good parental love can deepen our insight into the image of God as awesome love. Just as loving parents make boundaries for their children and allow freedom within those boundaries; so too, God who is Love makes boundaries and allows freedom for the universe, our world, and us humans.
More next time.
Smile, God Loves You,
Father Clay
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