Especially Fond

Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8


A couple of years ago I read a book called “The Shack”, in which a man has a very close and personal encounter with God. Early on Mack, hears God listening to music that Mack thinks is questionable. When he comments on it, God remarks that He is “especially fond” of the boys in the group. That expression is used over and over again in the book and has stayed with me and recently it kept coming to my mind.
How can God be especially fond of people who are so ignorant of Him? Or worse, how can he be that fond of people who show blatant disrespect for Him, by claiming His name and then behaving as badly as they know how? It made no sense to me but I believe it. I know God loves each us as if there were only one of us.

A week or so ago my granddaughter Madelyn, had her preschool promotion ceremony. One of the songs she sang was “Jesus Loves Me.” I listened as the precious little group sang the words, “Jesus loves me when I’m bad, even though it makes him sad.” That’s it! That is how God can be especially fond of even the worst people, as we see it, in the world. They are His children.

My husband and I have four children, four in-love children and nine grandchildren. Over the years our four have given us moments that range from amazingly wonderful, bringing us great pride, to ordinary life, just making us happy to have them, to oh-no-you-did-not, making us, frankly, a bit crazy. I’ve been asked numerous times if I have a favorite. Yes! And that answer changes all the time.

Paul, is my oldest, precious boy. Paul, who I nearly lost at five days old, is constant, full of love and integrity, with a wicked sense of humor. Oh, yes, Paul is my favorite. Joseph is number two, the teddy bear. Sweet, caring, forgiving, goofball, Joseph, would literally give you the shirt off his back. Joseph is my favorite. Jeffrey is number three, talented, passionate, fiery Jeffrey, who can change a tense situation with a well timed phrase. Jeffrey is my favorite. Laura is number four and my only girl. Laura is determined. She has a strong exterior with a marshmallow inside. When she is committed to something, she will never back down. Get Laura on your side and you have an advocate who won’t quit. Laura is my favorite.

One time one of my sons told me our family was an embarrassment to him and kept his distance from us for awhile. My heart broke but I was still especially fond of him. One evening another child walked in the door and handed me the first in the list of things a mom does not want to hear. I am especially fond of that one. At work one morning I got a phone call that one of my boys needed bail. I just love that kid. Then there is the child who cut me in a way I never wanted to be cut by putting another mother in my place. That child is so very dear to me. I am especially fond of each and every one of them.

Actions, words and behaviors can certainly hurt me. Truly, no one can hurt me like those four and right behind them my in-love children. However, the relationships I have with them show me why God can be especially fond of us even when we are at our worst. He sees things in us that aren’t visible to human eyes.

Joseph has a friend named Carlo, of whom, I am not especially fond. Oddly the word especially, reminds me of him. I work with special needs children and Carlo knew a few of them from his former job. He referred to them as the “especially handicapped kids” and he had a special affection for them. That is sort of a tiny glimpse to me of maybe, how God sees us. I see Carlo in all of the ways that make me want to slap him, but there is that one decent and lovely thing about him.

One day, he put aside his own plans to be at an event for a child in my class who had no one else to come. Without Carlo, that child would have been alone while his friends had family members with them. Thinking about Carlo from that angle makes me especially fond of him. Further, it helps me to understand that we are all God’s children whether we acknowledge him or not. We are His and He is especially fond of each and every one of us.

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