There are more than enough headaches while simply raising your children (can I get an "Amen" parents?)
From the he said/she said family squabbles to the little princesses missing Easter dress that is now making your entire clan embarrassingly tardy for Sunday morning services, life in the family-lane (much quicker and more chaotic than even the 'fast-lane') is hectic enough.
Now when you add altering weekend placement schedules, differing biological-parental viewpoints on just about everything (or so it seems), and holiday schedules, you've just compounded your headache 10-fold!
Aaaahhh, but like a cool ocean breeze there is indeed a reprieve. It's not migraine-ville all the time, and if you're resourceful enough, the head throbbing is few and far between.
There is a simple and undeniably antivenom that covers the worst pain, and it is known plainly as:
L
O
V
E
Yep, so easy, isn't it?
But I am not referring to the garden-variety kind of love here. Not even the I love you and forgive you often kind. Nope, there's only one kind of love that can heal the wounds of betrayal, deceit, and disrespect. It's the kind we ALL long for (both in 'traditional' families, from our spouses, from our parents, and in every meaningful relationship).
It's UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.
That means that no matter how much you hurt me, no matter how far and fast you run from me, no matter what you say to me or behind my back, no matter WHAT, I Love You.
Unconditional love is self-less, patient, and most of all forgiving (See 1 Corinthians 13). It's the kind of love that was demonstrated on a cross over 2,000 years ago, and the kind of love that still reconciles fathers to daughters, mothers to sons, and husbands to wives.
There is a natural tendency to distrust anyone who does not share your DNA, but if we can learn, and put in to practice the undeniably overwhelming force of unconditional love, all of families will be better for it!
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One thing I have found in this area is that I am not the best judge of whether or not I am growing in this kind of love for others. And it is a growing process, isn't it? Do I dare ask those that I want to love like this how I am doing? Can they trust my reaction to that kind of assessment? I guess it depends on how far I am in really "loving" like Christ. Thank God He always answers my prayers for help in becoming an unconditional lover. Great truths, James. Love ya. (unconditionally)
ReplyDeleteI like the line "put into practice". When things aren't always rosey that's when the practicing comes in. I think people sometimes think that unconditional love comes naturally and is always there. But the truth is we really need to practice love. Since love is defined in 1Corintians 13, I think we all can agree we fall short of that definition in some area. It takes practice. You're right James! Great post!
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