Stuffed

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. – 1 John 4:9-12

When you were a young child, did you have a favorite stuffed animal? It’s a fairly common thing, but in case you have no point of reference, think about Linus’ blue blanket in the Peanuts cartoons. It is something to which a child will cling because it provides comfort and peace. It is a required participant in bedtime, but it is not uncommon for it to be a constant companion for the child throughout the day as well. Until it becomes misplaced or lost, at which point search parties are deployed on a grand scale to reunite the toy and the child before panic and hysteria sets in. Some may think I am exaggerating, but for those of you who have children or who have lost a special toy during your own childhood, you know the truth of which I speak.

Having established this, let me speak another truth. Take a look at these special stuffed friends and you’ll see that there’s nothing terribly special about them. They’re dirty, beat up, tattered and showing signs of wear. They have stains from a wide range of sources. They may have been re-sewn and stitched together. The stuffing may be matted or missing. All in all, they may more like a threat to your child’s well-being than a comfort. Through the objective eyes of an adult, they deserve to be thrown in the trash and replaced with something new and clean and plush. But in the eyes of the child who claimed this toy as his or her own, that ratty little stuffed animal is deeply loved and desired far beyond what its appearance and condition could merit.

As we grow older, most of us (and no judgement upon the minority here) leave behind the security of our stuffed animals, finding peace, comfort, and security in other sources. It’s a natural part of growing up, I suppose. When life gets scary or when our emotions get the best of us, adults typically don’t turn to their teddy bears. Instead, we might turn to our spouse or significant other, our family, close friends, work colleagues, therapists, pastors, or a trusted confidant. Usually, someone among this collection of people will provide you with whatever you’re looking for to work through whatever is upsetting you. But what if they don’t, or can’t or won’t? For example, some problems are too personal to share with certain people. Others may not understand the circumstances, making them unable to help. Some people may not see things as you do and offer you criticism instead of comfort. The bottom line is this: all of the aforementioned sources of comfort are people. Unreliable, imperfect, sinful people. They may have the best of intentions. They may want nothing but what is best for you. But their effectiveness is limited by the same sinful nature that fills the spirit of every human being who has or ever will live……with one notable exception.

Jesus loves you even more than a child loves his or her favorite stuffed animal. There are some similarities in the relationship. Like the stuffed animal, we’re tattered, beat down, and undesired by just about everyone else. Like the child, Jesus looks past all of those things and offers unconditional love. But that’s where the similarities end because Christ’s love for us far exceeds anything our world could possibly create. Jesus lived a life without sin, unlike every other occupant of the planet. But despite keeping God’s commands perfectly, Jesus was still subjected to death in one of the most painful and horrific ways ever devised. He willingly chose to die on our behalf. His selfless act atoned for the sins of mankind, giving us our one and only path to forgiveness, salvation and a total restoration of our broken relationship with God.

May we continually give thanks to God whose love for us makes this free gift possible. May we show our thanks by sharing this same amazing gift of love to others, especially those who have been hurt and broken by life. Share this joy that they too can learn, believe, grow, and hold fast to the comfort and security that can only come from our Savior.

Devotion by Richard Schumacher

Senior Director of Operations