To Love Like He Loves...

I've always considered Ace an excellent judge of character.  Well, for the most part (we love Uncle Evan and Uncle Titus, and can't figure out why Ace cried at the sight and sound of Evan and the sound of  Titus for a while.  Maybe it was their voices or maybe they were uncomfortable around him and he sensed that?  Who knows).   Usually, Ace is pretty slow to warm up to people (no clue where he got that); however, there have been a few people he really flips for.  And, interestingly (or maybe not) enough, those people tend to be people Mace and I adore.  There have also been a handful of people in Ace's nearly 20 months that he has flipped out over, though, and (with the exception of Evan and Titus, who are NOTHING like the others in this handful) those people have always been people we either already knew were annoying/evil/psycho/nasty or people who turned out to be prison-worthy.  Not kidding.  Ace isn't cautious about much in life, but people, he is a little hesitant about.  I call it perceptive, studious, and inquisitive, but others call it judging.  And it looks something like this...

But then there's B... B has been a part of Ace's life, from time to time, from the beginning.  B is a damaged, hurting vessel who is hard to love.  B is antagonistic, two-faced, demeaning, controlling, self-righteous, and is always the victim.  Interaction with B for most people can be stressful and exhausting, at best.    But not so for Ace.  Ace loves to be with B.  Ace adores B.  Mace and I have often wondered, lightheartedly, "how does Ace not see behind the facade...why (and how) does Ace love B so much?!"  We've never really given it much thought, because it really just baffles us.

And today, out of nowhere, it hit me.  Ace loves B like we are supposed to.  He loves like Christ loves.  Unashamedly, wholly, without judgment.  No matter what anyone has or has not done.  He loves.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another (John 13:34).

But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you (Luke 6:27-28).

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse (Romans 12:14).

Oh.  That's why.  And how.  Ace has been a shining example to us of Christ's love.  No matter what B has done or does, Ace overlooks it and embraces B and wholly loves B.  Ace's feelings have been hurt before by B, but he goes on loving (I like to think it's not just because children are resilient).  Not because it's easy.  B isn't always easy for those of us who are quick to see flaws to love, but that's not what Jesus said.  He said love your enemies and those who persecute you.  We are to love as Christ loves us.  Whoa.  (Gulp)  He died for us(you know...because He loved us).  Love, love, love.  That's what we are called to do for B.  Easier said than done, but God never said it would be easy...but He showed us, and shows us how it is done.  We aren't always easy to love, either.  Probably harder to love than B, most of the time.  It's a moment by moment choice, to love the hard-to-love.  We must.

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble (1 John 2:9-10).

Thank you, sweet boy, for showing us how to love like He loves...and for reminding us where the light is...

arms wide open...

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails  

(1 Corinthians 13:4-8).