John 15:12-13 — “This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this that one lay down his life for his friends.”

Mother, don’t hate me! Love, NBS. This note greeted me at the kitchen door this evening after work. “Hate you? Why would I ever hate my son?” I thought.

I entered the kitchen and looked into the dining room. Suddenly, I understood the reason for the note.

For four months our house had been complete bedlam. Our unplanned kitchen remodel caused by a burst pipe took over the entire ground floor. Layers of dirt and dust coated the furniture for weeks, and all the kitchen items took up residence in the living room, the downstairs bedroom, and on the dining room table.

All winter our living space was sparse, and we survived by clearing paths and creating a small eating space on the table. But Memorial Day weekend proved to be the end of all things messy. I worked like crazy cleaning and finding homes for all my important kitchen items in the new cabinets.

After discarding many unneeded items, things were finally in order. At long last I could breathe deeply again. And then I received “the note.”

Memorial Day evening a tornado had passed through our county. Our home survived the storm, but Nathan’s apartment complex on the other side of the county sustained extensive damage. With little notice he was forced to terminate his lease and move all his belongings out.

Now the furniture and larger items were tucked away in the barn, but once again our dining room table was covered and out of commission. My mouth dropped and my eyes grew large as I surveyed the situation before me. “Not again!” I lamented.

But then I thought of Nathan’s note. I certainly didn’t hate him. I loved him.

Jesus commanded his disciples in John 15 to love one another sacrificially. Maybe this was a small example of laying down one’s life for a friend. It isn’t often that one physically dies for another, but every day we encounter opportunities to give up the things we think we need for living – comfort, finances, rest, strength, belongings, and maybe even the dining room table.

Suddenly, a thought came to me. I grabbed my camera, took a picture of the clutter, and sent it to our family group message, stating: “This is real love! Love you, Nate!”

I do love my son and I’m so glad he wasn’t hurt in the tornado. If need be, I would give my life for him. But this day I laid down my comfort and my organized home. Today, I gave him the dining room table.

Sandra Sheridan is a Midwest wife and mother of five. She shares her messages to her children with Farm World. Visit her at www.VersesFromMama.com