What Does Love Look Like?
I was in an area Walgreen's the other day to witness a very unusual exchange between a customer and a worker. The customer was very loud, rude, and demeaning to the worker. The worker continued to be calm, helpful, and supportive of the real desires of the customer (to get her prescription ASAP). After the whole exchange ended, I went to the pharmacy counter to share with the worker how impressed I was with how she handled the situation. She just said thanks for noticing and "It wasn't any big deal." My reply was that it was a big deal because that was real customer service in action when it wasn't easy. After I left, I thought about how love is like that - in essence, she displayed love to that customer. It's easy to love your kids when they are obeying and behaving well, but it is tough to due when they are rude and disrespectful. I also noticed how that worker stayed focused on what the customer needed without considering her own need to be respected as an employee. Do I keep loving and helping as a parent when I'm not respected by my children? Do I stay focused on what they need instead of my own needs? Sometimes loving our children is tough because it involves punishment and discipline, but it is what they need. Sometimes loving our children means protecting them, serving them, sharing with them, helping them, etc. Love looks different for every situation, but love looks like something because it is an action, not a feeling! Notice Jesus' action! "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." I John 3:16
Family Discussion Points!
Share a time when someone has talked mean to you or tried to hurt you with words.
Talk about tough love and what it looks like.
Parents, share with your children what it means to love them enough to provide them with consequences.
Then, share a time when your parents did that for you!
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