Today, while teaching the worst Sunday School class in the history of the world… (well okay, that is a slight hyperbole.) Let’s try again. Today, while teaching the 10-year-old cast of Jersey Shore about God (better) an overly rambunctious boy stopped throwing an entire box of crayons at me just long enough to ask an insanely profound question:
“Why does God love me?”
I peered above my glasses and thought: Kid, I have no idea.
Just then, corny orchestral music beautifully swelled as I began a life-changing, Hallmark Channel-worthy speech. I only got out “because you are His son and he…” before Dennis the Menace flipped over the supply table and ran off in a cloud of flying papers to pull some poor girl’s hair.
So maybe I didn’t exactly win Sunday School teacher of the year today. But, as many Sundays, I left with a very important question to answer about my own faith: Why does God love me? There are billions of people on this planet, why me? What have I done to deserve his love?
Ahh, and then there was the root of the problem. “what have I done to DESERVE love?”
de-serve verb: Do something or have or show qualities worthy of
Picture this for a moment: Coming to ABC “God: The ULTIMATE BACHELORETTE”(or Bachelor… not opening that can) and guess what? You’ve been cast on the show! Now after some fierce competition it’s elimination time. God is holding 2 roses and you are standing next to a Nobel Peace Prize winner and Brad Pitt… Guess who is going home? “________(fill in your name) you are not worthy of God’s love, no rose for you, pack yo bags son…”
Haha, very cute Sam. But it is so easy to fall into this trap of believing you have to EARN love. (mostly because that is an earthly view of love). Sorry folks but that type of love is NOT real love. Take a moment to check in with your definition of love. I’ll wait.
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. -John 4:8.
GOD is the definition of love! Someone call Webster and tell him his definition is just plain wrong “passionate affection” BOOHICKY. Passion is fleeting. Affection is lukewarm. God’s love is unceasing, unconditional, and boundless.
No matter what you do, God will always, always, always love you. ALWAYS. He couldn’t possibly love you anymore or any less. You can’t screw it up and He will never leave your side.
Very nice Senator, but you still didn’t answer the question Why does God love me?
Why? I’ll tell you why. Because He created you and loves you like a perfect Father loves his children. Because you’re awesome. He’s sees all the beauty and life inside you that makes you different from everyone else. Because you DESERVE love simply for the fact that everyone deserves love.
So to my terrorizing little friend, thank you for helping me grow closer to God today. Sorry you did not get your answer on why God loves you. I will try again next week. P.S. if you wanted to grow up a little before then, no one would complain.
“It’s a long walk through this world, but walk tall, you are one day closer to being Home.”