For The Bible Tells Me So

“Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Like most children growing up in the church, I learned this song at an early age. I believed it and took it face value. But as a child growing up in a world of imperfect adults, as we all are, I became confused. I looked to these adults for an example of Jesus’ love. I knew I was loved and valued, but children aren’t always taken seriously.

I remember one Sunday when I was a child, I felt like I should go to the altar during church, so I did. I had been told the altar was always open. But nobody came to pray with me; in fact the service went on as if nothing was happening. Eventually, there was a prayer meeting, but it only started after I was taken to the bathroom, out of the way. Strange, I thought. Another thing that confused me as a child was the way I was taught about Jesus’ love. The behavior of many adults around me didn’t seem to match what I was taught. Instead, love was dependent on how you looked, what you said, where you went, and where you didn’t go. Where was the simple message I had learned as a child, the message that Jesus loves me ?

Now that I am an adult, I can see and understand how hard it is to communicate the love of Christ to a child, especially to live it out. I try my utmost, though, to model Christ’s love to children. I know from experience how important that is. I also see a wonderful parallel between love and action in the above passage. John says that keeping God’s commandments is the same as loving him and that keeping them is not burdensome (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+John+5%3A3&version=NIV" "target=_blank">1 John 5:3). In other words, we delight in obeying God because we love him. That’s the secret. It’s not just about Jesus’ love for us, or just about living right with actions and truth. It’s both.

As we trust in Jesus’ love for us, we are empowered by his Spirit to love others and point them to the source of true love.

Dear Jesus, thank you for coming to this world as a little child and for valuing children. Thank you that it is through your love that we know you and serve you. Help us to live out that love. In Jesus name, amen.

Throughout the Day: In what way can you practice love through obedience today? Here is a resource on sharing Jesus' love with children. <a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/family/parenting/kids/9-things-you-can-do-model-love-christ-your-kids.html" "target=_blank">9 Ways to Model Jesus' Love To Children