I am sometimes struck by thoughts that at the moment seem quite profound—yet may be to everyone else quite obvious. I fear this may be one. All of this meditation on love has sprung from thoughts about the grace of Grace. Recently I was the unworthy recipient of some precious expressions of love and appreciation at a writing workshop at which I spoke. One young lady, Grace, was especially kind in her words of appreciation. Her sweet spirit and gratitude was touching. As I was thinking about Grace, I found myself wanting to be better because of her goodness and kindness. Through her love, God’s grace touched me.
As I look back upon the people who have influenced me most, I can see that whenever a good person has loved me, I have wanted to become a better person. It was my parents’ unconditional love, not a fear of punishment that first moved me to pursue God. In them holiness was not negation—not clean, but sterile. It was more like Christmas: joyful, meaningful, alive, and rich. Their holiness was more feast than fast, more of a present than a sacrifice. Their gentle and constant love drew me toward God.
When I first met my wife Teckla in college, it was her simple goodness that captured my heart. As just a friend, she loved me and made me want to be more than I was. In fact, she always saw, and amazingly still sees, more in me than I saw in myself. She changed me by simply loving me. I was never a reclamation project to be hammered into shape with sermonettes, guilt trips, and manipulation. Love was enough.
And of course, my kids have innocently loved me and like many fathers I have wanted to live in a way worthy of that love. It is not, for me, just a fear of disappointing my kids or my wife or God that motivates me. My response to love is more an expression of gratitude and hope. Living clean and right is just a way of saying thank you for the love so freely given—so undeserved. When I see myself through the eyes of those who love me, I have hope in the power of God’s grace. Their love gives me the courage to grow.
Okay, so all I am really saying is love never fails—not a new insight I suppose. Love never fails to move me where sermons don’t and logic can’t. Love draws and pulls us toward God when nothing else can push us.
