27 Apr Son of My Comfort

It had been a hard morning. I had been impatient with the kids, my heart full of anger and frustration. I wearily carried my two year old boy to his bed for a nap and collapsed with him on his bed, my heart weighed down with physical exhaustion and grief over my poor attitude.

I read him his favorite book and then lay quietly with him in his bed, finally able to breathe deeply. Before I knew it, my tears began to flow steadily.

In the most tender of ways, he took his little arms and wrapped them around me, patting me on the back with his small hands in a gesture of comfort. As he saw the tears streaming down my face, he calmly wiped them away with his fingers. One of his sisters entered the room and, almost in an adult-like fashion, he quietly whispered “shhh!” and instructed them to leave the room.

He was comforting his mommy and he didn’t want us to be disturbed.

This little guy who only a short time earlier had been smearing peanut butter on my kitchen cabinets and poured out a whole bottle of grape juice on the carpet was smothering me with peanut butter kisses that were genuinely loving and comforting me.

I left his room a little while later – calm, comforted, and reminded of the beautiful truth that I am deeply loved, imperfections and all. I truly believe that God was loving me in that moment through the arms of my 2 year old son.

As I sat down with my Bible and journal to seek the Lord, I found myself reflecting on these questions:

Do I let my kids know how much their acts of love bless me? Do I receive their gestures of love? Do I recognize that often it is through them that God desires to pour out His love, joy and comfort in my life?

Often as parents, we may have the perspective that we are always the ones in the “servant” role. We are the ones pouring out comfort and affection on our kids; We care for, teach, nourish, and nurture them. We wipe their tears and bandage their “owies.” We snuggle them to sleep and hold them when they have had a hard day.

But can they not do the same for us? 

When we receive the love that our children desire so much to give to us with open and receptive hearts, we communicate a strong message to them: “The love that you have to give and share is important. Your love blesses and encourages me.”

When I am sick and my daughter draws me a beautiful picture of a mountain with a lake beside it because she knows how much I love nature, she is loving me. She is ministering encouragement to my soul.

She asks, “Do you like my picture, mommy?” What she is really asking me is “Am I encouraging you, mommy? Does my picture make you feel a little better?“

How have your children lavished love on you recently? How does your heart benefit from their love? Consider taking a moment to tell your child how much their hugs, flowers, pictures, or affirming words mean to you today.

Lord, may our homes be places where each person’s love is honored, valued, and received as the unique treasure that it is. May our hearts be open and receptive to the tender embraces and loving gestures of our children.