I Love You Enough To...

by Ricci Harbuck
(Colstrip, Montana)

Sitting one morning at the computer, after an encounter of the teenage daughter kind, I began to browse over the e-mails she had sent that morning.

My daughter and I had not been getting along since her new boyfriend came into the picture.

A young man thinking that he knew what love was, but is far less than committed than my beautiful daughter deserved.

A daughter crying herself to sleep over phone calls that never come.

Rumors of other girlfriends and a willingness to hang on to him no matter what it takes.

Attempts to talk, to offer advice, resulting in, “stay out of my business, I hate you.”

Yes, I went to the computer to see where my daughter was at.

There comes a time in a parent’s life that you have to decide how to react and I was certainly challenged that morning.

“Dear Jake, my life sucks.” “Mom and I had another fight, I really hate her.”

At first I was furious. Going through the list of why she should be grateful to me.

Don’t I take her to work and back?

Don’t we love her, spend time with her, and support her?

Doesn’t she know this boy will break her heart?

Doesn’t she know this boy only has one thing in mind?

“I hate my Mom!”

No one would blame me if I became upset, hung on to my hurt. No one would blame me if I returned the sentiment and counted the days until she graduated and left. An ungrateful, rebellious child. A list of punishments went through my head.

Then I realized that this is how God must feel about us and how little thanks and gratitude we give Him. And yet His love and concern for us never waivers. He doesn’t say, “I'm tired of being hurt, being called names, being ignored.” He does not retaliate, quite the opposite. Without hesitation He sent his Son to die on the cross for us and for our sins.

God knows we will have consequences. He wishes we would listen to Him, and not take His love for granted. He wants to save us from life’s hurts. He wishes that we would appreciate having a loving and concerned Father in our corner.

There will be consequences to my daughter’s actions. There will be hard lessons to be learned. But I will not give up, grow bitter or fail to love her. I will be there to show her our Father’s love each and every day. I will be there with open arms to love her when she decides to not hate me anymore.