Not Mean… Only Love

This past July, I traveled to Miami with excitement when asked by my son and daughter to come for a visit. Ryan planned a short weekend birthday outing for Dani and wanted someone to keep the babies as well as spend the fourth of July with them. Needless to say, I accepted the invitation.

The weekend with my grandchildren went off without any incidents. I drove them to their swimming lessons. We ate out at their favorite eating spots. We played games, walked around the lake, stayed up late, and on Sunday morning, I got all three of them dressed and ready for Sunday service. We savored our time together.

When Dani and Ryan returned, we all celebrated the fourth at the pool playing in the water and eating hotdogs, chicken, and hamburgers. The time spent with my family proved to be a much-needed vacation for me. However, doing my stay, my little grandson, Judgy tested me. His action reminded me of how we tend to behave sometimes.

Judgy lives in the “terrible twos” stage… for those of you with kids, you know the drill. It’s the stage they declare their independence and test the waters and your nerves. It’s the stage triggering life or death… for them. But Judgy failed to understand that I traveled down this road with my boys and with Noah and Mathai… NanaCUTE arrived prepared.

I quickly discovered when Judgy gets upsets with you or can’t get his way with something, he bellows out, “You’re mean!” The first time he did this to me, I braced myself. He said it again, “You’re mean!” So I looked him squarely in the face and bellowed back, “You’re mean!” He replied forcefully, “You’re mean!” I countered, “You’re mean!” We repeated this cycle back and forth for a few times, then I changed the verbiage. When he said “You’re mean!”, I uttered back, “I love you!” Not even thinking, Judgy vigorously responded, “I love you!” I fiercely replied, “I love you!”… to which he intensely returned, “I love you!”

Our dialogue ruptured into hysterical laughter. Ryan, Dani, the girls and I cracked up over this encounter. And then, I just grabbed and hugged Judgy tight and tickled him until he cried NanaCUTE (Instead of crying, Uncle, when the grandbabies give up; they cry NanaCUTE!!!).

See, Judgy’s anger and determination to make his point or get his way closed his ears to my words of love. When he gets older and our relationship develops, he will understand the depth of love I possess for him even when he’s upset with me. My deep love assures I will always do what’s best for him.

I can imagine this scenario played out so many times with the Father. We may avoid vocalizing the words “You’re mean!” to the Lord, but we too cry out when angry or upset and He responds back. We scream, “I can’t understand Lord.” He replies, “I love you!” We counter, “Why are you allowing this to happen, God?” He responds, “I love you!” We utter, “Why are you withholding this from me?” He whispers, “I love you!” We pout, “But it’s not fair!” His response never waivers… “I love you!”

Like Judgy, we try to exert our independence and fail to remember that Jesus knows us all too well. It’s not the first time He’s heard our protests of His will when it disagrees with ours. But if we release our anger and open our ears to His declarations, we will hear and understand the depth of His love for us. As our relationship with Him develops and grows, His penetrating love will help us feel His embrace and realize He knows what’s best for us. Then we receive His peace and humbly respond back… “I love you too Lord! Please forgive me because I know you are doing it all for my good.”

I don’t know about you, but I may be upset and mean at times, but the Lord’s character prevents Him from responding in kind. Even in my ugliness, when I lash out, He loves me, oh how He loves me. He grabs and hugs me, and I know everything will be alright. Why? Simply…