Key Scripture:
A time to love and a time to hate. Ecclesiastes 3:8a

Devotional:
The overwhelming love I felt when I held my baby for the first time was just that, overwhelming. I remember thinking, “I didn’t know I could love someone so much.” I recently saw a picture of a new dad looking at his baby and the caption read, “I think I understand a little more now how much our Heavenly Father loves us.”

We have such a sacrificial love for our children that is modeled through how God loves us. “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) He calls us to do the same for those around us. “A commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” (John 13:34)

Love is not merely a feeling; it is an act. We would do anything for our kids. We don’t just say that we love them, we show them by striving to create an environment where love is the guiding principle of an environment where our kids feel supported and secure. Through our love, we lay the foundation for their well-being and equip them to face the world with confidence in Christ.

I find this very easy to do with my own kids but very difficult with everyone else in the world. Just me? But I realize that we are called to love one another. I want my kids to look back at memories with me and think of me as a person who sacrificially gave love to others, who helped when it was the hard thing to do and not just when it is convenient. A.W Tozer says it like this,

“You can will to love people. Love is not a feeling. Love is a willing, and the Lord says to love people. He did not mean [to merely] feel love for them.”

God loves His people, but He hates sinful behaviors. Proverbs 6:16-19 “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.”

As parents, we must understand that allowing harmful habits or negative patterns to go unchecked can be detrimental to their overall well-being. By hating certain destructive behaviors, we demonstrate our commitment to guiding our kids toward a path of righteousness and wisdom. Christ loves us but doesn’t hesitate to correct us or hate the things we do when we move away from Him. In the same sense, we are called to guide our children towards God, not stand idle if they are going astray. 

Questions for reflection:

• How are you showing the love of Christ to those around you?
• Can you recall a time when you had to “hate” certain behaviors or habits exhibited by your children? How did you address those behaviors while still maintaining a loving and supportive environment?