Discovering Real Love

Your teenager has a crush. Eek! You finally allow them to date. Double eek! If you don’t have teenagers yet, don’t laugh too hard at your fellow parents’ teen dating struggles. You’ll be in the same boat before you know it!

It’s the big fear: your precious teen says they’re in love with someone who is selfish and manipulative. How do you break through the storm of hormones to help them understand real love? Or how do you teach a strong foundation of what true love is so it’s less likely this fear becomes a reality?

A poor understanding of love leaves kids vulnerable to stay in harmful relationships. They can be manipulated, unsteady in who they are and how they relate to others, and end up lonely—and alone.

“God loves you!” we spray rapid fire, hoping to lure a child into a relationship with God, as well as secure their self-esteem. But with so many loud and negative voices defining love—God loves us like Shaq loves Subway? Like JLo loves Ben?—it can leave them lost.

To combat all the noise of what love really looks like, we gratefully turn to Jesus. Seeing his example shows us the full picture. It displays how the Father loves us.

To start with, in Jesus we immediately see that love is not selfish. Instead, love serves. Jesus chose to give up his highest-ranking position to be with us and be one of us. He spent his life giving. Ultimately, he willingly gave up his physical life as a sacrifice for us.

The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them.

John 15:13 (CEV)

As parents, we have an idea of what it means to love enough to serve. Our children are learning by that example as well. As we talk with them about Jesus’s way of showing love, they will know what to expect of others and themselves. When they understand that love requires giving back, they will jump years ahead in wisdom.

So, celebrate Jesus this season! Relive his experiences and remind each other of the depth of his love. And work every day to show that same love to others—no matter the cost.

PRAY

Jesus, thank you for the great love you showed, back then and now. Thank you for teaching us real love. Help me to know it, show it, and teach my children about it. Amen.

TIME TO TALK

Conversation starter for kids: Provides you with questions and prompts to facilitate a time of applicable discussion with children to lead them towards knowing God and His Word more deeply.

Question(s): How do you know someone loves you? How can you show someone you love them?

Apply: As a family, reflect on the things Jesus did during his final days on earth, and discuss how his actions revealed his love.

KEEP IT GOING

Related passages: These additional verses will help parents expand Scriptural knowledge and place on the armor of God’s Word to tackle each day. Swipe to read the passages today.

Matthew 20:25-28

1 Corinthians 13:4-5

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Tonia Gutting wrote this devotional for the Hero Squad Program of the American Bible Society. Hero Squad provides complimentary faith-based resources to strengthen and encourage Military families through God’s Word. For more information or to enroll your Military family, check out our website.www.myherosquad.org.