Love Answers

My kids are not funny. Well actually, they're circumstantially funny quite a bit. Unintentionally- accidentally-they are hilarious. But deliberately, not so much. The older kids are getting better. They are honing their comedic skills, reading joke books and mastering the art of the punch line, even if they don't get the joke.

The three year old has a ways to go. Like last night:

Her: Knock-knock.
Me: Who's there?
Her: Apple.
Me: Apple who?
Her: There's a wolf outside! AHH! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I must be quite the actress, because she translated my attempt at a laugh as, "Great joke, Babe! LOL! You're on a roll. Keep 'em coming!"

She turned to the second grader, "Knock-knock!"

The good thing about three year olds? Most of them look like three year olds. So you expect nonsense. You give all the right answers and they respond out of left field, because that's what they are supposed to do. It's their job.

Other three year old mentalities are a little harder to manage- because they are trapped in adult bodies. You give all the right responses and they respond out of left field, and you are left feeling exhausted, frustrated, and angry. You explode.

Where did that come from? What are they thinking? Didn't they hear what I said? I didn't say anything wrong! They are acting like such a three year old!

The funny thing is that whether we are three, thirty, or beyond, chances are we still haven't mastered the skills we need to predict human response: mind-reading and heart-seeking. No matter how many books we read, how much Dr. Phil we watch, how much therapy we sit through- we just can't get a handle on the inner workings of other people.

Look at those questions above again. Only this time, switch the "they"s and "I"s.

Honestly, we can't get a handle on our own hearts, minds, and actions.

That is a privilege the Lord reserves for Himself alone.

Isn't that awesome?! That's what David thought!

 

 

O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.
You hem me in, behind and before,
    and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is high; I cannot attain it.

Psalm 139:1-6

So then is there no hope for us? If God alone knows the right thing to do, do we throw in the towel? No way. Because God didn't ask us to fill in for Him. He told us to love.

And love answers.

Love isn't about being right. It's about being there.

Love is about the Truth. And Truth is about Love. You cannot divorce the two. But being right is never the end goal. If it happens in the process, then I guess that's a bonus. But speaking from experience, any time my thoughts and energies were devoted to being right, I blew it on the love end. Any time my thoughts and energies were devoted to loving (really loving- not just sycophancy) the truth was served as well.

So, I'm pitching the palm-reading and turning in the turban. Enough of the predicting. I'm about 0 for a million, so I guess I wasn't that good anyway.

We're much better equipped for the love job. God makes sure of that. It's still hard and unpredictable, but it's worth it.

Praying you connect with God's love today, and love someone else in the process.

 

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This morning I am linking up with Missional Women for Faith Filled Friday!