On being "Mama Day"

³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’There is no commandment greater than these.”

Tonight, a friend asked me when I became so motherly, and I actually had to stop and think about my answer. I couldn't remember the moment when I became the "mom" of my friend groups or of the kids I babysat or the kids at church...I always have been. But, I knew I needed to give an answer, so I gave the longest one I could think of (and my sweet friend listened intently as I rambled on and on). 

I've always loved people. I love them with my whole heart, and I love them fiercely. Once I realize I like someone (and I feel like the feeling is mutual) I'll squeeze right into their life as another mom. I can't help it. I'll ask how their days has been and how much sleep they've had and how their classes are and how friendships are going and if they've eaten dinner! I just want to know everything there is to know about them. I want to love on them and encourage them and hear what's going on with them. 

I've told my college roommates multiple times that my first goal upon moving in to my dorm was to get them to see that I loved them like another mama (sorry guys). But they've been such champs putting up with my constant "How are you sweetie?" and "Have you eaten anything today?" and, the always annoying, "Do you have a lot of work to do?" 

The Bible tells us to love our neighbors just as much as we love ourselves! In fact, the Bible says that there is no commandment greater than loving God and loving people! God calls us to love wholeheartedly and deeply and fiercely even when it's so difficult...and sometimes it really is difficult.

But if I may offer some encouragement: there is something special that happens when a friend sees how deeply you care for them and how much you want to be there for them. Walls come down and hearts soften and God does good things. God works through those moments! He gives us the teeniest glimpses of who He is and how much he cares for us and how much He longs for our trust. When we love others the way that Christ calls us to love them radical, God-things happen. Seriously.