Enough Love

The other day, we were in a sandwich place after having been out all afternoon. They boys hadn't had their nap, and they were a bit grumpy. But, still trying to fight this, one of them turns to play with the other. (Why do we let them sit next to each other in a booth, again?) However, the younger brother decides that he's not in the mood, and puts his hand on his brother's face, and pushes him away.

Of course, this was the end of the world to the older twin, and he put up a shout. We turned to the grumpy bear and say, "He was just trying to give you some love!" We try to encouraged loving behavior in our family, and we feel that this helps. Even if it doesn't. However, the grouchy kid looks at us with a scowl on his face and says, "I have enough love!"

We fell out laughing. Never did I imagine that such a phrase would come out of his mouth. I can certainly understand being a bit tired of your siblings, and I can understand not wanting to goof around, but I would not have imagined that response. Now, I realize that in his mind, he didn't literally mean he had enough love for the day. He just meant that he was done playing right then and there. But the words still brought laughter.

Can you imagine if someone you cared about said "I love you," and your reply was, "uh...thanks, but I have enough love!" It just doesn't happen that way. We all like having love in our lives. We don't always enjoy showing it, and at certain times, we don't always feel like receiving love in various forms, but I do not for one minute think that there are people out there that simply do not want love of any kind. I believe we are all made with the innate ability to demonstrate some kind of love, and the even subconscious desire to have some love and affection directed towards ourselves. I haven't done research or anything, but it's just my thought.

1 John 4:8 simply says, "...God is Love." There are a bunch of people out there who will tell you that what this means is that if you can love someone else, then you are a god yourself. I disagree whole-heartedly. What I believe this means is that unless we know the giver, creator, and very essence of love itself, which is God, then we are not capable of loving in our full capacity. There are parents out there who don't have any relationship with God that love their children fiercely. I'm not implying that you can't love at all. I am saying that why would you settle for a two-gallon supply of love when you could freely tap into The never-ending tanker?

Do you love others the best that you can? If you haven't ever entered a relationship with God, then my challenge is to give Him a try. He has demonstrated His love, and promises us that with the Holy Spirit, that comes to us in a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ, we can demonstrate love to a whole new level, and we will experience HIS love to heights we never before imagined. That way, instead of wondering if we have enough love, we can know that His is Love enough.