That loving perspective.

I was just in Parker's bedroom, fighting the good naptime fight with my soother inserting skills, and marvelling at the amazing creature in the crib before me. Those tiny little chubby hands attached to those tiny little chubby arms with those tiny little blue veins inside of them.

I was just overwhelmed with the knowledge that someday this little boy is going to grow up. I love him so fiercely but someday he may decide that he doesn't love himself and decide to hurt those precious little arms. Someday he may decide that he doesn't love me anymore and never speak to me again. Someday he may forget how loved and how precious he is.

Then I realized that all those people out there, every single one, was once a tiny little baby just like Parker. Maybe not quite as chubby, but all tiny and helpless and so in need of love. It breaks my heart to think that they might not have gotten it.

Then I realized that this love I have for my child, who can scream in my face, do any manner of vile bodily function on me, then rip my hair out of my head, is just a shadow of God's love for us all. Even when we scream in his face, do any manner of vile things, and hurt others.

But we don't treat everyone with that love, do we? And sometimes we forget that God's love for all of us really is for all of us. And that we're called to love others just as Christ loved us.

We all started off so tiny and helpless, and just because we aren't anymore doesn't mean we're any less needing of that love.

I love Parker fiercely and that just provided me with some perspective of how much I really need to up my loving others game.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

John 14:34