Recently Luke, Tyler and I had a family outing at a local playground. When we first journeyed out the weather was fairly warm, and Tyler being on a short-sleeve shirt and "no sleeve pants" kick was very excited to sport his summery outfit. After enjoying the swings, the slide, a "green home" playhouse and making up silly dances in the field right next to the playground, the temperature took a dive to be on the chilly side (we are still amazed at how fast the weather changes here in England--we thought we'd be used to it after growing up in Massachusetts and Connecticut, but the rapid speed that it seems to occur here still takes us by surprise).
At that point, we told Tyler that he needed to put his coat on because we didn't want him to catch a cold (which in all honesty is something I thought I would never hear myself say. I don't even necessarily believe that you can come down with a cold from the chilly weather, and yet I find the words tumbling out of my mouth before I can stop their sneaky escape). Tyler, caught up in utter fun, did not want to oblige his worried parents and replied with the all-to-familiar "No, I don't want to."
At this point he sat on Luke's lap for a "breather" and snuggled in, wrapping Luke's arms around him. "So cozy" he said as we continued to reason with our little man...how we want to take care of our bodies, how they need to stay warm, how we want to keep him healthy, yada yada yada.
Luke asked after we felt we had adequately presented our points, "Ready to put on your coat?" And Tyler looked up at him with his big eyes and simply said, "Your arms are better."
Luke looked at me, and we smiled. There was something to Tyler's statement that seemed so simple, and so profound. It started me on a train of thought that included: violence, war, social justice, exploitation, pathways to peace.
Love is what we need to be striving for in our daily lives, something that seems obvious and yet when it is broken down is actually quite the challenge. We have been trying to learn and live the 1 Corinthians definition of love, and we've been struck at how consuming it is. Take a look at the requirements (this is the NIV translation):
1) Love is patient.
2) Love is kind.
3) It does not envy.
4) It does not boast.
5) It is not proud.
6) It does not dishonor others.
7) It is not self-seeking
8) It is not easily angered.
9) It keeps no record of wrongs.
10) Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
11) It always protects.
12) It always trusts.
13) It always hopes.
14) It always perseveres.
Quite a list, and that does not include the intro and conclusion usually included when this passage is read aloud, which makes clear that without love we are nothing and we have done nothing of importance. To love is to live fully. To love God, to love our neighbours--this is what we are called to do. It is not something we can take lightly, and it is not something that can just be done. It takes practice, it takes commitment. It takes getting over ourselves and our emotions to evaluate the bigger picture, overriding the immediate impulse and acting on love.
I do believe that the more we can personify love in our daily activities and decisions, the more we can counter the seemingly impossible dark issues that are alive and well in our world. And for Christians, this is what it is all about. This is who we are required to become. This is what Christ meant for Christianity to be about: love. Showing His love by living it, and sharing His love with all who will receive it. He is the greatest example of what it means to be the "hugging" arms of God the Father.
So for our young son, in a moment of weather-uncertainty, to choose the comfort of his daddy's hug rather than a fleece hoodie to keep him warm, we could only agree with him.
That's right, Tyler. Your father's arms are better.
