Dearly Beloved

" You are my beloved child, in whom I am well pleased." Luke 3:22

It would be easier for some of us to know we are truly loved and valued if a dove would descend, God's perfect voice would boom from heaven, and we would hear these words, " You are my beloved child, in whom I am well pleased." Some say these are words reserved for the Messiah, the only perfect man born of perfect God and a young faithful woman. And yet the Savior of the world was also fully human, fully a child with parents who loved him and confused him from time to time. Aware that we are loved and knowing it in the depths of our soul are two different things. The world and many of our relationships would be much better if there weren't so many people striving for acknowledgment and love from a parent incapable of giving that unequivocal affirmation. We all need to know we are loved and that our lives and actions are pleasing, to a parent and to God. The anger, fear and acting out that occur every day because folks lack that affirmation is astounding. I have a magnet on my refrigerator which reads, "I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was going to blame you!" How much of the world is broken up and crushed by misplaced blame from children who have gone without the affirmation and love they need?

Today, let's start with ourselves. Are there places in our lives where we have acted out because we are needing affirmation? Have we swallowed our need for affection by trying to accomplish perfection ore control? We all have at some time. There is good news. We can take these situations to God. God spoke to Jesus in front of a crowd, and as the family of God, the children of God, embedded in a living Savior, those words are for us as well as for Jesus. I want to start today by acting and believing those words are true, that I am beloved of God and am well pleasing to the Creator of all. And I want to remember that my children, my family and my communities all need to be reminded regularly that they are beloved of God. How often are we too quick to criticism and too slow to praise? I want to spent today, affirming that God loves all the people around me,and that they are beloved and well-pleasing to God. Maybe we can start a revolution of affirmation. So many battles have been fought, in fields and over kitchen tables, over who is loved the most and the least. God, like a good parent, doesn't have levels of love. Love is total and complete for every child, from the Savior of the world to us imperfect, striving people. May we receive the news that we are beloved of God and take it into our hearts. And may we go out and share the news with all the aching children of every age that we encounter today.