Deeper Reflection
LOVE HAS THREE GROWTH MOVEMENTS. WE LOVE intensively: “labour of love” (v.3). We love extensively: “you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia” (1 Thess 4:10). We love progressively: “do this more and more” (1 Thess 4:10).There is a Christian couple who has a special needs son, whose condition is compounded by other psychological and mental health problems. It has been very challenging and emotionally draining on a daily basis for them to parent their son. And there came a time when they had to face a hard reality: the future of their son. At least at the present moment, in terms of economic value, their son’s future is very bleak. But the world we live in values people in economic terms. Like it or not, this is the world we live in. However, this does not mean we have to conform to it. On the contrary, as disciples of Jesus, we are to live in this world counterculturally, which is not easy.As this couple pondered upon their son’s future, they thought of the worst-case scenario: He will become a bum. This couple has learned to love their son unconditionally through the difficult journey of parenting him. One day, they had this reflection: “What if God’s one and only one purpose for us to have such a son is to just love him and nothing else? If that is the case, then there is no worst-case scenario for our son!” One day, this couple’s son said to them, “Papa and Mama, thank you for loving me as God would.”