I don't love you that much

 

(2 minutes read)

Being the smaller of three siblings so I grew up as the baby of the family. As a small child my mother use to cuddle me a lot, and I would react making these wonderful declarations of love, saying “I love you mom!”, or “You are the best mom in the world!”, and also “There is no mother like you!”

Once, as I was making one of these declarations, my mother said: “since you love me, can you please clean the dishes for me?” To which I replied: “I don't love you that much!” Later on I grew up to understand that love must express itself beyond words, it must also include corresponding actions.

Many times we answer to God's requests in the same way I did to my mom. God requires  something from us but we tell Him: “I love you God, but not that much!”.

When we truly love someone, the interests of the loved one becomes our interests and we are moved to do something that goes beyond our words. We read in the New Testament that for three times Jesus asked if Peter loved him and for three times Peter replied positively, to which Jesus told him, then take care of my flock .

If we love God, his interests become our own and when we act about it we find our  reason for living. Certainly to attend a church and to hear the Word of God is good for us, for we learn how much God loves us and we can declare how much we love him, but if the stay at that we miss out in being part of his mission.

God calls us to express our love to him through concrete actions towards others, all the others, including our own enemies.

• How does your actions towards others express your love to God?
• What are the interests of God that you still needs to act upon?

(Love beyond words, 1 John 3:16-18  /  Love for all, Luke 6:32-35)