The Touch of Love
Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand, for I will make him a great nation.Genesis 21:18
To me it was a beautiful sight when I noticed the young girl leaning against her grandmother. She was a full six inches taller that the white-haired, petite woman, but her gentle tilt against the small, elderly frame revealed a deep bond. As they sat close, their heads turned towards the source of the music, the blessing was mine as I witnessed the span of generations.
My gaze was then directed back to the mother and her six children standing at the front, left corner of church. The harmonious blending of their voices was so beautiful that I could have sat in my pew all day just listening. The oldest child at 15 years of age played the guitar while her mother and all younger siblings sang and harmonized.
As I sat watching and listening, my attention was drawn to the family dynamics. While the mother's hands rested on the shoulders of her five year old son, I noticed that she frequently extended her left arm to the side to gently stroke the back of her eight year old daughter, and then return it to its resting place on the shoulder. This action was alternated with the right arm extension in a touch to her twelve-year old son's elbow. There was an occasional turn of her head for a smile to the guitar player, while the side of her ten-year old son pressed against her hip. Even the three year old, sandwiched directly in front of the group, leaned her little body backwards into her slightly taller sister to further illustrate the solidifying bond of this visiting missionary family.
The evidence of touch, occasional eye contact, and close proximity of stance, was a clear indication of the love of this family. It was a perfect example of love that is not only expressed verbally, but also shown. Making love believable with action, takes it beyond a mere emotion.
We, as mothers, need to continually show and express our love for our children. If we allow mothering to become just a job of cooking, cleaning, and caring for children, then it ceases to be a ministry. When not viewed as a ministry, the blessings are missed, and the fruit is void.
Taking time to cuddle with our little ones, to read together for the sake of enjoyment, to share family meals on a daily basis, to hug and kiss goodnight, and to cheerfully greet our children in the mornings, will express the enjoyment that we find in their company. A gentle rubbing of the back while sitting side by side conquering math problems, a ruffling of the hair as we lean over their shoulder to check grammar, a squeeze of the arm as we pass by them in the hall, or an occasional kiss on the cheek "just because," will speak volumes to our child.
As we get caught up in the busyness of homeschooling, showing love will help us to remember that teaching our children at home is only one means to the end of raising children for the Lord. Academics, while important, are not the top priority. Keeping their hearts is!
Prayer: What a beautiful sight it was, Lord, to see a family singing together for Your Honor and Glory. Thank you for the message of touch that their testimony showed. Thank you that my viewing range also witnessed a love that spanned a generation, again being evidenced by touch. Help me, Lord, to never forget the importance of showing love to my children, and to utilize Your gift of the sense of touch to do so.
