“We love… because he first loved us.” I John 4:19
Few things in life require as much ongoing love as parenting.
From the moment they are born, you love your children unconditionally (think poopy diapers, sleepless nights, and lots of money) with the belief that they will one day be able to do the same for others.
However, true lasting love comes from God, our Heavenly Father. The deep abiding love we have for our children is simply a reflection of the everlasting love that God has for us. (He comforts us, cleans up our messes, and provides the ultimate sacrifice.)
When we come to know Christ personally, this idea of “loving because we are loved” takes on a whole new meaning.
Once we are in Christ, our ability to love is deepened and increased because God’s love has been placed within us.
Through the Holy Spirit, we are now able to produce the fruit of love in new ways through our lives and to our children (Galatians 5:22-23).
We are now able to love to the extent that we have been loved.
Why? Because,
Love experienced is greater than love explained.
We all know about the love of God, but once we personally experience the love of God through salvation, it changes us for the good in new ways.
The same is true for our kids. Hearing the words “I love you” is super important, but still not as important or impactful as the daily experiences of our unconditional love.
Them seeing the love of the Heavenly Father through us in the everyday moments, our intentional tone, and gentle and patient interactions with them speaks love loudly.
Because when we understand just how we are loved, it’s easier to love that way ourselves.
“We love… because he first loved us.”
Go love your kids today.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Godly Parent.
Featured Image by Luis Silva from Pixabay
