Selfless Love
By Susan Klein
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”
John 15:12 (NIV)
It’s a couple weeks
after a little girl’s birthday, and her mother stumbles across a gift she’s
forgotten in the bottom of a closet. She purchased the adorable swimming suit
months ago, knowing as soon as she saw it that it screamed her daughter’s name!
Dilemma…Give it to her anyway? Save it for next summer? She already received
two other swimming suits as gifts, though not quite as special as this one.
Her younger daughter
was about to have a birthday. Hmm…They are approximately the same size. She
would love it, too. But it was intended for the first daughter. And then an
idea developed.
Desiring to teach
her daughter about selfless love, this thoughtful mom brought out the forgotten
suit, explained what had happened and then bravely asked if she would consider gifting it to her younger
sister for her birthday. While most five year olds might have protested,
(rightfully) cried, or even refused, this sweet girl only looked at her mom
incredulously for the slightest millisecond and then selflessly agreed.
Had this gift not
been so perfect for the first daughter, giving away the suit that screamed her name might not have seemed such a
huge request. How often does our loving, heavenly Father lavish wonderful gifts
on us that He might actually intend for us to give away? Do we respond so
graciously?
A young couple receives
an unexpected bonus just before Christmas. They dream of the things they might
do with it. Then God shows them some dear people who have fallen on hard times.
Dilemma…Do they keep the bonus? Do they share some of it? Do they give it all
away? They know it isn’t really theirs to keep. It belongs to the Giver.
“Every good and
perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly
lights.” [1] Our heavenly Father sets the example for us of selfless love.
Having nothing to gain, He showers us with gifts. It is solely for our
blessing. And sometimes, He does it so we have the wonderful opportunity to
bless someone else.
The little girl…She
had a huge smile on her face as she watched her sister open the treasured gift
that was originally meant for her. The young couple…They gave the whole bonus
to the family, not knowing that it was the exact amount needed for the family’s
mortgage payment.
Each, in their
selfless acts of love, was the recipient of an even greater gift!
GOING DEEPER:
1. How might God be calling you to
selflessly love on someone?
2. How will you respond?
FURTHER
READING:
[1]
James 1:17
