Love like children love

Good Words from God’s Word
 
The Bible says, “Little children, let us not love with word of with tongue, but in deed and in truth. We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him” (1 John 3: 18-19). Loving others is something that little children do very well. Here are ten different ways children look at love:
 

• If falling in love is anything like learning how to spell, I don’t want to do it. It takes too long (Glenn, age 7).
• Love is like and avalanche where you have to run for your life (John, age 9).
• I think you have to get shot with an arrow or something, but the rest of it is not that painful (Manuel, age 8).
• No one is sure how it happens, but I think it has to do with the way you smell. That’s the reason perfume and deodorant is so popular (Mae, age 9).
• Love is the most important thing in the world other than baseball (Greg, age 8).
• Once I’m done with kindergarten, I’ll find me a wife (Tom, age 5).
• My mother tells me to look for a man who is kind. That’s what I’ll do, one who is kinda tall and kinda good looking (Carolyn, age 8).
• One of you needs to know how to write a check, because even if you have a lot of love, there is going to be a whole lot of bills (Ava, age 8).
• Never kiss in front of other people. It’s embarrassing. But if nobody sees you, it’s worth trying with a handsome boy. But, only for a few hours (Kelly, age 9).
• Being single is best…for the simple reason that I wouldn’t want to change no diapers. If I did get married, I’d figure something out. I’d invite mom to come over for some coffee and diaper changing (Kirsten, age 10).

 
John may be saying to all of us that children love better than we do. Children have to be taught how not to love. They love innocently. They love completely. They love without reservation. That’s why the Bible first calls us “Children” before it tells us how we should love others. Put a picture of a children before you and then love someone like a child would love that person.
 
There is so much that children can teach us to do. Children teach us about faith. Children teach us how to obey. And here, children teach us about the depth of love. No wonder Jesus said, “Suffer the children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14). When it comes to love, learn how to by watching the way children practice the art.