By: Elaine Simpson             

Love is patient and kind not easily provoked, love does not keep record of wrong.  (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

Sometimes the things we do and say can cause hurt and pain to others. I know of a woman who experienced much pain by the action of her own son. Her husband left an inheritance in his will to be divided between her and their only child, a son. After the death of his father, the young man decided to take all the money left for him and his mother and migrate to a foreign country leaving his mother without any financial support.

In spite of her son’s behavior, the mother kept hoping that one day he would return home and they would be a happy family again. Her love for her son enabled her to continue to love him although the decision he made had brought her pain. Her neighbors knew what had happened; one day one them asked her why did she continue to yearn for her son’s return after what he did. She simply replied, I too was forgiven and love was extended to me in spite of my actions, I am just returning what I have received.

You see this mother had gone through a process of transformation and could view life from a different perspective. She knew that her son really wanted to do good but was overpowered by the evil that was all around him. He had not yet experienced that process of transformation so it was not easy for him to choose between positive and negative influences.

The mother knew that her role was to pray that He would have an encounter with the Creator of the universe. It was only through her personal encounter with God that enabled her to love her son in spite of his actions.

It is often said that you cannot give what you do not have. The secret to loving others beyond their action is found in experiencing God’s love in a real way so that we can pass it on to others. This is the great value of sharing an intimate relationship with God; when we do; He gives us all the love we need for ourselves and others so that we forgive easily as we too are forgiven.

It is written:

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18)

When we learn to love God perfectly, the fear of hurt subsides and we are able to love others in spite of their actions. God’s comfort strengthens us as we rely on Him for reassurance of our true worth.  Those who have hurt us will have the opportunity to receive and respond to the love we expressed to them; this love is a gift that God Himself gives to us.