"I Love You Already!"

Today I had to help out for about 10 minutes with the PTC kindergarten class (sub-separate classroom for children receiving special education services)--getting them up the stairs to the classroom, helping them unpack and get ready for morning meeting until the classroom teacher was able to join us. I was with Pricilla, one of the paraprofessionals who I just love, and she was saying to everyone, "Miss Hang is going to be joining us today from K1!" And this little girl just ran up to me and gave me a huge hug and said, "I love you already!"

I was praying after school and right now I just feel giddy with excitement because I feel like I've stumbled upon a precious secret about the kingdom of God. Jesus pointed to the children as an example of how our faith should be. Children were just not valued in that time when Jesus was talking so of course people probably thought he was radical or nuts. And even today, though things are better, some people still see children as dumb or juvenile because they don't have the experience or schooling yet, etc. But with my little friend this morning, I feel like Jesus is also pointing at the children as an example of how our love should be. There was absolutely no basis for the little girl's statement to me, there was no reason for her to embrace me because I would only be there for all of 10 minutes anyway. I obviously did not earn it by merit. But I think God was showing me that this is what His love is like.

Not only that, but I think of us as adults now (because we are) and how we love. We pick and choose who we interact with. If we don't like one of our coworkers we try to avoid him/her. If there's someone at church we don't particularly click with, we just don't meet up with them. If there's a homeless person and we feel uncomfortable we just keep moving on and avert our eyes. I think maybe God means for us to go forth and love like the little children do. Embrace whoever comes in our path, welcome them into our hearts, and say to them, "I love you already," telling them that they are already loved... that regardless of whether or not we have commonalities, regardless of whether or not we are in the same social standing, race, ethnicity, or stage in life, regardless of whether they will annoy us in the future or we will rub against each other in uncomfortable ways, we already love them... that they don't need to earn it but they already have it. Maybe this speaks the Gospel message I so desperately desire to communicate in profound ways that are beyond what meets the eye. After all, this is what God is saying to us, too.