love just is
Dear Maliyah,
The most powerful thing in this world is love. For it is out of love we were drawn up, made into reality, and after failing miserably, given a second chance. Love was the reason our Father sent down His one and only Son into a world full of hurt, anger, and imperfection. Because of His everlasting and unending love, Jesus touched the leper, ate dinner at the house of a tax collector, and washed the feet of His disciples. And love was the driving force behind God’s plan to have His son die a sinner’s death that He did not deserve in order to save us. All of it because of love.
As you get older, you will begin to see the world for what it truly is-broken and lost- and your overwhelming belief in love will attempt to hide in the shadows of the lies and evil that lurk around. When someone you love gets hurt, when you see injustice happening first hand, or when you don’t feel like you measure up, love doesn’t feel so powerful. It doesn’t seem like it changes everything. It doesn’t seem like it is everywhere.
But believe me, despite all that you see or feel, at all times, in all things, love exists. Love perseveres. And always, love wins.
From the mouths of babes (my sweet 2nd graders) come the reminders of where love can be found and why it truly does penetrate even the most guarded and hardened hearts and moments. Because love is extravagant. It is glorious. It is beautiful. Love just is…
Love is when someone comes to pick you up when you fall down.
Love is giving confidence.
Love is including.
Love is to give stuff to people without getting anything back.
Love is when you smile and say hi.
Love is when mom cooks dinner for the family.
Love is work.
Love is when you see someone sad you can make them laugh or you can also make them happy.
Love is to kiss and hug and be kind to others.
Love is doing stuff you don’t want to.
Love is cleaning your room and doing things your mom and dad should say but don’t have to.
Love is laughing with people.
Love is to cheer someone on.
Love is when you say, “Do you want to be my friend?”
Love is when you give someone something special and that someone might be someone you don’t appreciate that much.
Love is when you are loving and kind to everyone even though you don’t like someone.
Love is in Jesus because on Christmas Jesus risked His life for us; that’s why there’s a cross.
Love is in God.
That’s it. That’s love. Something that is in everything and everyone. Something that everyone is capable of and something that can be a part of even the most dreadful situations.
It can be as simple as saying hi. Cleaning your room. Laughing. Including. Giving a hug.
It can also be as extraordinary as being kind to the ones you hate. Giving to the person you don’t appreciate. Dying on a cross for a crime you did not commit.
God is love.
God is in us.
Therefore, love is in us.
Even when we want to hate them. When we want to hurl insults. When we want to watch them fail. When we want nothing to do with them…we are love, and we are called to love.
In the midst of pain, sadness, anger, and self-absorption, we are love, and we are loved.
And because love is powerful and always wins, nothing else matters.
So where does this leave you?
Well Maliyah, first and foremost, let me reiterate to you how loved you are. I will continue to tell you everyday and pray it over you everyday that you might believe this truth. You are loved.
But also, in you is love. A love that is powerful and real. Love that you have the opportunity to use. To cover others in whether deserving or undeserving. Love that has the power to change the world.
Through your smile, your kind words, or a simple hug, you will be one step to making the world one that is full of people loving like our Father loves. And we all know that a world full of obvious love would be the most beautiful and inconceivable miracle.
Because if …“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”…Then a world full of that would be a pretty great place to be.
But until then, just remember all of that is in you, and it is your job to cover others in it.
All my love,
Sissy