Lately my three-year old son has an interesting reply to nearly every question. His four-year-old brother walks in the room with marker drawn all over his back. I ask my three-year-old, “Why did you do that?” His response, “Because I love you.” We are playing outside and for no apparent reason he begins throwing all of his drawing chalk at his brother. His brother asks, “Why are you doing that?” His response, “Because I love you.” A few days later he is wearing his pants backwards. I ask, “Why do you like to wear them like that?” Once again he responds, “Because I love you.”
The first few days of hearing his response I remained speechless and dumbfounded. It made no sense. Whether his action seemed good, bad or completely pointless his response was always the same, “Because I love you.” But why would he create a mess, or inflict pain, or like things plain old backwards because of his love? I found myself asking the same questions I have often wondered about God.
I don’t assume my son loves me less when he acts in a way that is displeasing to me; neither do I assume he loves me more when he goes through great lengths to display his love. I don’t stop loving him when I am faced with actions that confuse or displease me. Instead in those times I feel the need to get closer to him to know him better and communicate my love to him even more.
I do not always understand my son’s actions or thoughts or words. In many ways he is a complete mystery to me. But the one thing I understand fully is that he loves me and that is what matters most.
“… the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loved you.” -Deuteronomy: 23:5
