We’re called to love like Jesus, but let’s be honest..that’s hard to do when people hurt you or others you love.
A few minutes passed when little Ashton became a bit fussy. As I looked up at the mother’s face she immediately had a face of anger, then she raised her arm as she would to hit him. She didn’t follow through, but the thought alone and acting like she was going to hit him sent me into shock.
I couldn’t believe she would do that! I’ve never understood how you could even think about doing that to a child.
I sat there in shock for a few moments then anger began to rise. Throughout chapel I kept glancing over to check on him and thinking “would you really hit him!? Do you normally follow through!?”
God called me out on my thoughts of judgment though and reminded me I can’t hate her for what she did. I can hate the sin but not who HE created. I have to love her even though that seemed crazy and impossible at the time.
The Lord saw that arm being raised to hit that baby. He saw the anger in her eyes and heart in that moment. But his love for her still abounds. He doesn’t love her any less for it. I need to experience that same love. I need to see past the flaws and see the beautiful person God created.
It’s hard to love like Jesus does. It’s so much easier when people show love themselves, but His love isn’t circumstantial and ours shouldn’t be either.
As it was on my heart and I continued to dwell on it, God reminded me of Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” What I saw was not who she was created to be, but it’s the evil in this world that made her react to her baby that way.
