To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal.
Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness.
But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.
C. S. Lewis
***
“Dad, I think I know why God let me get cancer.” Jesse spoke the words so casually that Peter almost missed them. Almost.
For a moment, his breath deserted him and a tingling sensation crawled up his spine. Sensing the gravity of the moment, he leaned forward in his chair, pressing his palms together to keep them from shaking. “Why do you think God would let that happen to you, Jesse?”
“So we could learn to love each other more,” his son replied.
Peter’s eyes welled with tears. Visions of all the times in recent years where he had pushed his son aside swept through his mind. The times spent renovating the house, investing himself in his business, or just plain selfishly doing his own thing haunted him in that moment.
But when he looked into his son’s eyes, peace settled over the turmoil in his soul like gentle snowfalls blanket the barren earth. He saw no judgment there, only love. In the last several months, the furnace of suffering had fused their two hearts together like never before. The relationship that he had so neglected had been redeemed from the ashes.
So help him God, he would never forget these words from his son’s mouth. The most powerful message that he had ever heard, and preached by a nine-year-old boy!
“It sure is working,” he said, as he stored this precious moment away in his heart for safekeeping.
***
The blessing of love is being in the presence of the one you love, the curse is in the separation of death. However, even the curse is proof of the love. The terrible pain of separation serves as evidence of the how great the love is.
Peter Wiebe 2013
American Christian Fiction Writers Association
I remember you mentioning these words of Jesse’s before. Children often see the obvious more clearly than adults do. Those are words to hold onto and put into practice everyday. Jesse has taught us much.
He certainly has, Joy. Thank you.
Amen!
i remembered them too and i guess they are not something i will forget. today i wished i could live in God´s presence all the time. i love the c.s. lewis quote, how given i am to little luxuries that take me away from Jesus. thank you.
You’re welcome. I am as guilty regarding the luxuries as you.
Wow I’m speechless and trying not to cry. What a powerful message.
It sure is. I’ll always carry it with me.
I’m so glad for all the wonderful gifts he left you.
Me too. I can’t wait to hold him in my arms again and tell him that he is my hero.
when the time is right, won’t that be a wonderful day! “heaven”
It sure will. Amen.
Thank-you for sharing such a precious memory and message.
You’re welcome. Thank you for following the story.
Peter, that took my breath away. I’d like to use a portion of this column, and your picture in a series called “Faces of Love” that I’m writing for victoriasvisits. It is just a beautiful picture. May I do that?
I have no idea why He is asking us to walk such a difficult path. But like you, where else would I go? One thing I do know, it was not God’s will for Jesse to die, any more than it was my brother to be murdered or my husband to suffer and die from cancer too. But we worship a redemptive God, and He can redeem even these heartbreaks.
Much love to you and your lovely family,
Victoria
Yes, Victoria. You may use whatever you wish. I’m so glad that God is redeeming your heartbreaks as he is ours. My love and blessings to you and your family as well.
That is indeed a powerful message. God Bless.
Thank you, Teresa. God bless you too.
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Intense. Your little guy is changing my life Peter. Thank you so much for sharing.
Your words are beautiful to me, Susan. It is I who thank you.