An Object Lesson about Love

When my oldest was little, she had a teddy bear. Its name was Bear.

She lugged Bear around everywhere. She dressed him, put sunglasses on him, pushed him around in her little grocery carriage while she pretended to go shopping, and slept with him every night.

Over time, with wear and use, Bear became threadbare. He looked dingy and dirty and no longer adorable.

But she still loved him.

When Rebekah would ask me to “Please hold Bear, ” I would, and would do it with great care, cradling him in my arms–not because I valued Bear, or thought he was worth anything. But because the one placing Bear into my care loved him and thought the world of him.

When Rebekah got older, I told her that loving others was like when I use to hold Bear.

We should always view another person the way God views them. And we treat them the way God says we should treat them– not how we think they deserve to be treated.  They belong to God and he valued them so much that he sent his son to die for them and  loves them. So we had better view them the same way God does.

Whether I thought the person was of value, or good enough,friendly enough,smart enough, nice enough was not the issue.

What I thought of the person was irrelevant.

I have been told to love them as Christ loved.  God is no respecter of persons.

Bear is packed away now in a box of memories, but I hope that the lessons that he taught will stay alive in my children’s hearts forever.

Linked to Courtney