A Love That Is Whole

“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and [that] there be no divisions among you; but [that] ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” 1 Corinthians 1:10 KJV.

A parent’s love is expected to be whole, no matter how many times it is divided among the children they have. But it was not so for Isaac and Rebekah. Isaac loved Esau and particularly enjoyed the wild game meat that Esau, a hunter prepared for him. Rebekah on the other hand preferred Jacob who was a shepherd and stayed around the homestead. This created a lot of conflict in the family: grudges caused by perceived favoritism, plots and counter plots and resultant hostilities. (Genesis 27)

Part of the reason for the conflicts in Isaac’s family was the Jewish tradition where the first born son was entitled to most of the family’s property. Much of the abuse and neglect children suffer is rooted in cultural and religious beliefs. In many societies girls are discriminated against, while many parents love the children who are brighter and show higher aptitude in fields they consider superior. This makes some children grow up feeling alienated while others feel entitled. Parents should rise up to the challenge of the love of Christ and avoid creating divisions. They should nurture the children so that they develop strong characters and a high sense of self worth.

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“By loving them for more than their abilities we show our children that they are much more than the sum of their accomplishments.” Eileen Kennedy-Moore

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