About a week ago we took the kids to eat at Chick-fil-a before all of our coupons expired on the 31st. With a family of six, you really have to budget and be discerning when it comes to dining out. We had decided it would be a wonderful treat for all of us and we headed out. We had an enjoyable time devouring the delicious chicken sandwiches, waffle fries and drinks together. As we walked out toward our car, the three older children had scampered on ahead of Scott and I while our youngest followed behind us. Scott and I reached around each other’s waist as we approached the car, when we heard a voice behind us say, “No. No cutesy in public, you can do that at home.” Scott and I about tripped over the sidewalk we were crossing as we laughed and Peter quickly ran to the car. We got so tickled at his comment, but it has resonated in my heart over the last week and I have been reminded of a few things.
First, I am thankful that there is no doubt in our children’s minds that Scott and I love one another. Yes, we have our moments, but the children know that it is just that---a moment (or two). And the question I had to ask myself was: Why shouldn’t we show our cutesy in public? Not in vulgar or inappropriate ways, but in ways that show the world we love each other? In a world full of an inappropriate portrait of love between a man and a woman, as Christians we should be willing to model what it is like for one man to love one woman for life.
Second, in the spiritual realm, the bible says that the world will know we are Christ’s disciples because of our love for one another (John 13:35). How is the world to know our lives have been changed by the power of God, if we don’t take it out of the privacy of our own homes or church buildings? We must be unashamedly willing to show our cutesy in public. God was not ashamed to show His love to the world. Read what 1 John 4:10-11 says:
“Love consists in this: not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (atoning sacrifice) of our sins. Dear friends, if God love us in this way, we also must love one another.”
If God was willing to demonstrate His love to the world by sending His one and only Son, shouldn’t we as Christians be willing to love each other? I battle this every day with our children. I am constantly saying, love your brother or love your sister. When they fight with each other I remind them their friends are watching how they act toward one another. If they see them love one another then they are being an example for Christ, but if they are constantly fighting then how will others come to know Christ’s love for them in their own lives? If I am constantly fighting with members of my own family or being disgruntled over decisions being made in the activities I am involved in, then I too do not reflect Christ’s love for the world and am in sin.
Let’s not be ashamed to show our love to one another today. Let’s get our cutesy on!!
My Heart’s Prayer: Lord, help me to love others so that they will know I am yours and would have a desire to come to know Your love too. Continue to grow my love through knowledge and discernment so that I would be able to approve the things that are superior and can be pure and blameless in the day of Christ. In Jesus Name, Amen.
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