Our granddaughter, Boo, was approaching three years old when she came running to her mother, who was working on the computer. “I’m sick,” came the small voice.
Knowing that her daughter had seemed perfectly fine just a short while earlier, our daughter picked Boo up for some questioning.
“Does your head hurt?” “No,” came the reply.
“Does your tummy hurt?” Again the response was, “No.”
“Does your throat hurt?” “Nope,” Boo answered quickly.
“What do you need?” Mommy asked.
“Hot chocolate. It would make me feel good inside.”
Sometimes in the morning, our daughter would take a few minutes and shar
e hot chocolate with our granddaughter. It was sort of a special time together. But Boo had been fighting the sniffles, and her mother didn’t want to give her any more sugar at that time. So instead, she just spent a few minutes holding and talking with Boo about various things.
Shortly, Mommy asked, “Are you still sick?”
“No,” came the reply. And Boo slid down and ran off to play with her stuffed animals. Of course, what she had wanted all along was some attention. Her love cup was running low.
How many of the children we teachers work with come to us in the morning with their love cups running low? We may not be able to give them all a cup of hot chocolate, and it certainly wouldn’t do to take them each in our laps and chat with them for a few minutes. But we can embrace them with loving words, smiles and kindness. It is so easy to refill love cups that are running low.
And what about our neighbors, coworkers, or even strangers we meet on the streets? Can we find ways to fill their “love cups”, too? Isn’t that what the Christian walk is all about?
It is interesting to note that Boo felt a need, and thought it was hot chocolate that she needed. She didn’t recognize that what she needed was something deeper. Sometimes we can be like that when we go to the Lord. Romans 8:26 says, in part, “For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us.”
We have a loving God who knows how to fill our love cups. Sometimes he may give us what we think we need; other times, He’ll simply smother us with love. In all cases, He gives us just what we really need.
Hot chocolate, anyone?
Dr. G
Knowing that her daughter had seemed perfectly fine just a short while earlier, our daughter picked Boo up for some questioning.
“Does your head hurt?” “No,” came the reply.
“Does your tummy hurt?” Again the response was, “No.”
“Does your throat hurt?” “Nope,” Boo answered quickly.
“What do you need?” Mommy asked.
“Hot chocolate. It would make me feel good inside.”
Sometimes in the morning, our daughter would take a few minutes and shar
e hot chocolate with our granddaughter. It was sort of a special time together. But Boo had been fighting the sniffles, and her mother didn’t want to give her any more sugar at that time. So instead, she just spent a few minutes holding and talking with Boo about various things.Shortly, Mommy asked, “Are you still sick?”
“No,” came the reply. And Boo slid down and ran off to play with her stuffed animals. Of course, what she had wanted all along was some attention. Her love cup was running low.
How many of the children we teachers work with come to us in the morning with their love cups running low? We may not be able to give them all a cup of hot chocolate, and it certainly wouldn’t do to take them each in our laps and chat with them for a few minutes. But we can embrace them with loving words, smiles and kindness. It is so easy to refill love cups that are running low.
And what about our neighbors, coworkers, or even strangers we meet on the streets? Can we find ways to fill their “love cups”, too? Isn’t that what the Christian walk is all about?
It is interesting to note that Boo felt a need, and thought it was hot chocolate that she needed. She didn’t recognize that what she needed was something deeper. Sometimes we can be like that when we go to the Lord. Romans 8:26 says, in part, “For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us.”
We have a loving God who knows how to fill our love cups. Sometimes he may give us what we think we need; other times, He’ll simply smother us with love. In all cases, He gives us just what we really need.
Hot chocolate, anyone?
Dr. G
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