Kiss It and Make It Better
Getting hurt is one of the things my kids do best. Bruised knees, stubbed toes and bumped heads are daily dilemmas in our household. For most of those stingers my wife and I have a common cure— “kiss it and make it better.” Amazingly, that is sometimes all a kid needs to go right back to jumping off couches and running head first into countertops.
A few days ago, my son Samuel tried to use the magic cure on me. It worked. As I was walking up the steps I tripped on a step and stubbed my toe. Samuel (as always) was following close behind and heard me let out an “ouch!” When we got to the top of the steps, he ran past me into his bedroom and said, “Daddy, I’ll kiss it for you.”
Sure enough, Samuel got onto his hands and knees bent over and gave my bare toes a kiss. Anybody who has seen my toes knows that is truly an act of kindness and bravery!
Here’s the point: for some people, including our children, acts of love and kindness must be learned. In many cases, kindness is often returned only after it has first been offered. Thus, those who never show acts of kindness will be the ones less likely to receive them.
Let’s make the application. Do you want to be praised at work? Then, make sure you give praise to your co-workers when praise is due. Would you like a visit at the hospital or a meal at home when you are sick? Then, be first in line to offer similar services to others as you see them in need.
Do you need a spiritual lift of encouragement in times of grief or discouragement? It will be more likely to come if we have been the encourager for others in their time of distress. Would you like your family to show a constant love and concern for you? Then, be there for them when they need you—no matter how insignificant it may seem.
This is not intended to teach love should only be given in return. Instead, it teaches us the endearing lesson of being the first to show love and the return we will receive upon such an investment (Luke 6:38).
Is this not our reaction to Jesus? John wrote, “We love Him because He first loved us.”
Think about it.
April 2007