She had a delightful laugh. Not the roaring chuckle that makes you have to laugh along, but the sweet little laugh that goes along with sparkling eyes and makes you feel warm and comfortable. Her gray hair with markings of silver was drawn back from her face, and she always had time for a little girl.
Her patience surely must have been strengthened from all the times I got into her purse when I was between the ages of one and three – but by the time I had grown to eight or so, she was writing in my “autograph book,” these words; “My day is complete, I have heard you laugh.”
Mrs. Greathouse loved plants. My childish heart loved them too – or so I thought. I loved the green willowy wisps of the “air plant,” the tender pointed leaves of the ivy, the stronger leaves of the plant passed down to mom from grandma . . . they were so pretty. However, my childish love only ran so deep. On one occasion I was expressing to Mrs. Greathouse how I just “LOVED” plants, but could not remember to water them. She just gave her delightful laugh, looked at me with a shake of her head and said, “You don’t really love them then.”
I smile at the memory. She was so right. If I had really loved those plants, remembering to water them would have been a priority in my day. What we love finds a way to surface.
Jesus tells us in John 15: 9-11, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
Really loving Jesus shows by our living. Following His directives to love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind, body, strength – following His command to love our neighbor as ourselves -- this is the test of our love, the depth of our obedience.
When pleasing Him first means most, He is our “first love.”
Father, perfect our love of You! Let us give you more than “lip service” but have a love for You that’s pure, resulting in joyful obedience!
By: Janene A. Dubbeld
Take it with You
“If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love” (John 15:10).
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