Curious Kate: Truthseeker Extraordinare

“Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly.  Though we may feel lost and without a compass, God’s love encompasses us completely…” ~ Dieter F. Uchtdorf 

 CK: Good morning, Papa. ❤

PAPA: Good morning, my child. ❤

CK: Papa, I need a divine perspective or at least, an answer teenagers can get their head around.  The kids in my religion class want to know how you can “command” your people to love you with all their hearts, all their souls, and all their minds.  One cannot force another to love them.  They really do have a point.

PAPA: Excellent question.  Any thoughts you might have on this?

CK: You are the God with all the answers. 😊

PAPA: I am, but I need you to work with me here.  In order to own truth, one must first desire truth and then seek truth.

Now, given that many times, a human perspective is flawed by the imperfection of the human experience, that which may seem true for one person may seem completely the opposite for another.  Missing is the bird’s eye view.  The bird’s eye view can be likened to the divine perspective.  And how does one come to see things from the divine perspective?

CK: That is easy.  By spending time with you, by having a relationship with you.  Plus one can’t truly love someone without knowing them. And it is in this relationship that one comes to know you and love you – not out of fear or retribution for sin, but out of the mutual love we share.  Simply put, your love fills one up to overflowing and it spills onto the lives around us.

PAPA: Exactly.  So taking all of that into consideration, what good would it be if I just told you what to do and what to think?

CK: It would be meaningless because it would negate the gift of free will. Yet without understanding the what and the why of your “commandments”, some of my kids see rules, yours or manmade, as “putting a damper on their fun”.  But it seems to me that your desire for us to love you and others is more for our benefit than yours.

PAPA: Excellent!  Does a child understand that rules are for their own good when they are young?  Do kind, loving, and responsible parents give their children rules to put a “damper on their fun” or are they trying to give their child the tools to navigate their life’s journey into responsible adulthood?

CK: Yes and yes.  It is like my kindergarten class.  At the beginning of the year, it is chaotic until the kids understand the rules of the classroom. Take turns, no shoving or bullying. Listen to others. Respect one another. Don’t talk when the teacher is talking, otherwise, you might miss something important and so on.  And hopefully, by the end of the year, they have matured enough to go to the first grade.

PAPA: Precisely.  So without “commandments”?

CK: Earth would be nothing but a charcoal briquette? 👀 Seriously.  Chaotic to say the least. People need to understand that your love for us is just like the kind, loving, and responsible parents you mentioned.  It is why you call us your children in scripture… You want us to choose love above all else.  Because you are love.  Without you, pure and unconditional love cannot exist.

PAPA: And the “free will” I have given humankind is my children’s chance to choose that love, my love.  Like the kids said, I can’t make anyone love me, but to know me, is to know my love.  Now, what do you think my motive is for what I ask of my children?

CK: Your motive?  That’s easy. Your love for your creation.

PAPA: And for you personally?

CK: Quite simply,  your love for me.  I know that I can trust you. You know and want what is best for me. You care about my well-being and happiness.  You know what makes me “tick”, and I can’t think of anyone else who has figured that out… not even me! You are a Perfect Parent. 😊

PAPA: You have learned you do have a related question…

PAPA: Of course. 😀

CK: So much of scripture talks about “worshipping and praising” you.  The Psalms are full of examples like “Bless the Lord, my Soul: all my being bless his holy name!” Ps 103:1 or “Let everything that has breath, give praise to the Lord! Hallelujah! Ps. 150:6 and then in John 4:23-24 it talks about all true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. You know me, I am all about truth. So much needless suffering when people ignore your truth.  It just breaks my heart. 😥

PAPA: It breaks my heart as well.  But that is for another discussion.  Let me ask you, “Why do you “praise and worship” me?

CK: It’s kind of hard to explain, except it just does something deep down inside my heart.  For example, the other day, I had to drive to the city for a root canal and I was not looking forward to that at all.  Anyway, I had been in a funk for a couple of weeks, really stressed, so I threw a praise and worship CD in and sang at the top of my lungs the whole way there. One of my faves is “Shout To The Lord”. It gets me every time.  Anyway, by the time I got to the endodontist, my whole attitude had changed.  I was filled with a great sense of peace, and just a natural desire to share your love with others. 😍  Even my worst “funkness” is no match for your love.

PAPA: Perfect example! Next question, do you think I need to be worshipped and praised?

CK: No, why would you?  You are a perfect God.  You are perfect love.  There is nothing we can do to add to who you are.  But, what worship and praise does, do,  is that it helps us express our relationship with you.  It connects our heart, soul, and mind to you, Papa. I can see it in the faces and hearts of kids when I take them to Summer Festival Camp or at church on Sunday when we offer each other the sign of peace. It helps to make your love “real” in our lives.

PAPA: Excellent!  So what else do you think happens when my children celebrate our love?

CK: Hmmm. I should know this… I know!!!  Since at the center of all this “communing” is your love, power is taken away from the evil that is hell-bent (little play on words there 🤭 ) on destroying all you love, especially your children. Unfortunately, the evil one is working overtime these days and people don’t even know that what they do or don’t do plays into his hand.  Plus truth is arbitrary it seems.

PAPA: Correct!  Now, do you think you have all the answers to help our kids understand?

CK: Until the next question.  What goes around comes around, huh?  Thank you, Papa!  I know I can always count on you for answers. I love you! ❤

PAPA: And I, you too, so very much. ❤

CK: Today, I pray for all young people who are struggling to find truth in their lives and in their world. Open their minds and hearts so they know how much you love them and want to be a part of their lives.  In Jesus’ name, I pray.  Amen

Points to Ponder: Imagine the world where love ruled. What would it look like? What would your part in it be?

Challenge:  God gave us rules to keep us out of trouble. Can you think of a time when you ignored God’s “commandments” and it came back to bite you? What would you do differently if the same situation occurred?

And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27