Love in the small things

‘This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.’ 1 John 3:16

Today I’m tired and not feeling well and I just want quiet. Because I’m not in such a great place, and reflecting back on the past week has shown me that I’ve not done well in loving people, I thought I’d write a picture of love as a reminder to myself of what love is and the love I know.

A picture of love

The greatest picture is of Love Come Down. The love of Jesus who gave himself.  Such love is so great that, right now especially, I can’t comprehend the largeness of that love.

So I will find the love I recognise in the smallness that maybe the largeness of the love I know will become more apparent.

A small picture of love.

Love turns off the light, folds the laundry, irons the clothes, packs the lunch, writes a note. Love is there listening to the repeated tale, extending the welcome, nursing the wound. Love goes out of the way, remembers a birthday or illness or interview or previous conversation topic, reaches out a hand, clears up the mess left at the end of a day. Love gives the credit, accepts the consequences, plays fair, accedes defeat. Love says a gentle goodnight. Love cooks dinner, waits at the orange light, makes the bed, chooses graciousness, wilfully forgets a wrongdoing. Love presents flowers, is ready with a kind word, pulls a funny face to win a smile. Love serves without seeking thanks, sits patiently amidst brokenness, resists temptation. Love teaches the child, stands by the hurting, tends to the dying, comforts the grieving. Love speaks truth, speaks up, speaks life. Love issues an open invitation, practices hospitality, pulls you in close for a hug, happily clears up the smashed plate and starts the washing up. Love wipes the tear, removes the splinter, directs the lost, touches the lonely. Love wipes the counter, mops the floor, goes first, goes last, chooses the small portion. Love is there week in and week out and issues no hard feeling. Love is willing to sit on the floor and be last in the queue. Love joyfully expects to have dirty hands and dirty feet at the end of the week.

Love sees no return or effect in all this, and yet willingly gets up to do it all again.

This is love in the small things.

A great picture of love

There is One who is this Love in all things. One who loves unrelentingly and unfailingly; exchanged first place for last and traded the place rightfully earned for the one I rightfully deserved.

There is One who, when I am here today and tired and not feeling well and just wanting quiet, is ready to love me a little louder. This One is my King. Jesus Christ who laid down his life. This is how I know what love is.