Then Your Heart is Full of Love
Lyrics: Josie Carey FranzMusic: Fred M. Rogers
© 1984 Fred M. Rogers
When your heart has butterflies inside it,Then your heart is full of love.
When your heart feels just like overflowing,Then your heart is full of love.
Love is fragile as your tears.Love is stronger than your fears.
When your heart can sing another's gladness,Then your heart is full of love.
When your heart can cry another's sadness,Then your heart is full of love.
Love is fragile as your tears.Love is stronger than your fears.
When your heart beats for a special someone,Then your heart is full of love.
When your heart has room for everybody,Then your heart is full of love.
One day we were busy in the kitchen after lunch. We'd been out all morning so the girls missed Sesame Street, and we watched Mr. Rogers instead. I love Mr. Rogers, and they do too, but they don't see it that often. He was my neighbor when I was growing up too, you know.
I couldn't find a youtube video of Fred singing it, which is what we saw that day, but did find this one. I'm sure I've heard this song growing up, but hearing it that day, it was just so lovely. So full of truth of what Love is. But then there was this line, When your heart has room for everybody,Then your heart is full of love. And it just cut me in half. Right there in my kitchen.
Does my heart have room for everybody? Everyone? I love and live love and give love to many people, but... to everyone? My husband, my children, people in my life... But is there really room for everybody? For even the worst of the worst, for those that hurt me, or who have done unimaginable things in the world? Or just room for the ones I want to love, that it's convenient to love, that aren't too difficult or painful to love- really love- not just feel love for them- but to live out compassionate love on them, actively. Does my heart have room for everyone? I was just cut. I don't think I've loved unconditionally. Not really. I would say I love my children or Jim unconditionally, but, if I'm not willing to love everyone that way...then it is conditional...based on who I choose to be deserving of it, who I choose to give it to. Does my heart have room for everyone? On it's own, no. Never.
Regardless of what I have done, what I deserve, my Jesus loves me completely, without limit or condition. In my own strength, my best will never be enough to love Him in return, or to give real, true love to anyone else. But with the Perfect Lover Christ in me, then my heart does have room for everybody. Everyone.
2 comments:
I am 4 weeks into a womans bible study called "The way of Agape". And it really does cut you in half, I feel ya. It has been such a powerful study so far of what God wants from us, us to LOVE. If we allow it then his Agape Love will shine through us to EVERYONE! So powerful!
What a great post! Thanks for the reminder that with Christ in us, we can do what we could never do on our own.
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