As we approach the holiday of love I ask myself what does love really look like? I was reading a book for homework and came upon this story. This comes from George Barna’s book Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions.
Children often need reassurance that they are loved by those whom they trust and depend upon. My oldest daughter loves to ask challenging questions of her mother and me. Several years ago, while spending a laid- back Saturday lounging around the house, she wandered into my study where I was working at the computer.
“Daddy,” she began innocently, “do you love me?”
After turning away from the computer to give her my full attention, I affirmed that she was more important to me that anything else in the world and that I loved her very dearly. She smiled and then let loose the big one.
“How do I know you really love me?”
Ah, the thoughts that went through my mind. I thought to myself let’s see. I wiped your poopy behind every day for two years, ran a car into the ground carting you to sports practices, spent hours awake late at night holding you or calming you when you had earaches or stomachaches, spent more money than I’d care to tally on special adventures and events, played silly games until I couldn’t bear it any longer, and so on.
I just replied, “ I hug you and kiss you and tell you all the time how much I love you, “ I replied.
“Yeah, but how do I know you really mean it?” she pressed forward, digging for the golden nugget of truth.
“I work really hard to make the money that provides your food, clothing, home, and toys.”
“Yeah, but you have to do that. That’s what every parent has to do, but that doesn’t mean you love me.”
I invited her to sit on my lap while I told her the ultimate, indisputable way that she could know that I loved her more than anything on the planet.
“Buddy, I do everything I can to try and raise you up to be the woman that God made you and wants you to be. There is nothing more important than that you love, obey, and serve God with all your heart, mind, strength, and soul. And I do everything I can to help you be a little girl who grows up to be a big girl who is God’s pleasing and faithful servant. There’s nothing more special that any parent can do than to help his or her child honor God; and I will never stop trying to do the things that bring you closer to Him. That’s more important than buying you nice clothes or giving you a cell phone, than letting you see every movie you want to see or giving you the biggest room in the house. I really want God and other people throughout the world to be blessed by who you are. “
Her big, dark eyes continued to stare intently into mine for a few seconds after I finished delivering my best shot. Then she pursed her lips, grinned, nodded her head up and down a few times, and simply said,
“Okay,” and went bounding out of the room. She has never asked me that question again. I hope it is because she sensed the truthfulness and sincerity of my reply.
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