Parable 24 - Love

Damian was having his best year working at a large insurance agency. He was responsible for one of the customer service call centers. His center consistently got the highest evaluations, and their other key metrics, such as call time and success in resolving issues, were the best in the company. Damian was recognized as a great trainer and manager.

He had an approach to his success that he called first fruits. He didn’t tell people about this, but every time something good happened, in his mind and heart he thanked God. He always gave the praise to God—very first thing. He genuinely believed God was part of every aspect of his life, and he gave God continual praise.

Unfortunately, not everything in Damian’s life was good.

He had a five-year-old daughter, Beatrice, who had acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The abbreviation for this disease is ALL.

He and his wife were devastated by the news of their daughter’s cancer. But Damian started to pray, and he thought to himself that he would give ALL to God.

Sharon, his wife, did the bulk of the doctor’s visits so that Damian could work and keep insurance for the family.

The chemo treatments often caused Beatrice to be sick. She was usually fatigued and weak. Even though she had a cheerful disposition, it tore her parents up as she threw up, couldn’t eat her meals, and was generally exhausted.

Sharon and Damian prayed morning, noon, and night.

And Damian tried to trust that God would allow the treatments to cure his daughter, but he wasn’t sure she would survive. He found himself crying in his car as he drove to work. Other times screaming. Other times in despair. But no matter what he was going through, he imagined God with him, even felt God’s presence. This period of his life was marked by tension—not only worrying about his daughter, but he and Sharon were often tired and irritable.

They found themselves fighting over emptying the dishwasher, paying bills, and keeping the house clean. These tasks had never been an issue before Beatrice got sick.

Damian recognized the pressure that his family was under. They were literally fighting for survival.

Eventually, Beatrice went into remission and began regaining her color and strength.

The specter of the cancer returning was with them, but they tried to focus on what was good about their current situation.

Each day, Damian brought all his concerns, joys, and doubts to God. He didn’t know how he would survive without God at his side.

Meditation

In our scripture today, we hear Jesus say that the most important commandment is to love God with everything we’ve got. Sometimes we might think that this is always a pleasant feeling. But love is more complex than the pleasantries that surround it. In reality, we are invited to connect with God in the most intense times of our lives, not just the happiest ones.

One aspect of love is that it is usually mutual.

Take marriage, for instance. It takes two people to make it happen. A comforting thought is that when Jesus tells us to love God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, Jesus is explaining how much God loves each of us.

In a sense, if we try to love like that, we will experience some sense of how God loves us.

Our lives are not neat and tidy. We all have problems. We love the best we are able to, and when we have people who love us, life is always better.

Let’s remember, though, Jesus loves us completely and unconditionally. That’s true love. That’s God’s healing love.

Water the seed and ask yourself...

How do I love God?