God spoke strongly to me yesterday, which served a useful purpose in our Sunday meeting.

Until then, I had been asking God for an inspiration, because I hadn’t found the best way to speak about the spiritual side of “affection”, except the way we already do in the group, through tasks and one-on-one conversations.

When God created man and woman, He didn’t do this so that there could be a wedding or a couple, but, above all, so that there would be a father and a mother. Both have different roles in a family. When I think back to my childhood, I remember these differences very well.

My father conveyed safety, protection, respect, strength and reason. My mother conveyed affection, education, care, attention and friendship. One could not take on the role of the other, even if they wanted, because these skills came with the difference between man and woman.

Take a look at how their role – father and mother – compares to the role of God, who is the Father, and of the Church, which is our spiritual Mother. God could have left His Word for us to follow according to our own faith and not have established the Church, but He didn’t – He made sure to build a Church, because Her role is very important in the lives of His children!

God, who is Father, assures us that He is with us every day, that all things work together, that we will overcome, that we have rewards waiting for us. Now, the Church, which is the Mother, gives us everything we need to remain in this faith – the union of spirit, the word of life, warnings, discipleship, teaching, that is – She offers the support to the Work of God in our lives. Everything we know today was because God used the Church to guide us! The Church is so important that The One Who guides It is the Spirit of God – isn’t that cool!!

This is why a Christian that does not go to Church (except those who do not have a church to go to) cannot live their faith effectively, because it’s as if they have a single parent family. You are able to live and grow in these families, but it is not ideal, because one of the parent’s roles is missing…

And what has the Church done for us?

She has given us attention, Her doors are open every day, She teaches us, rebukes us, disciplines us, prays for us, fights for us, fights with the devil in our favor; this is, She gives Herself for us every day.

And who makes up the Church? Us – together, we are the Church. Wherever we go, we represent the Church.

So the question is: How have we represented Her?

• Have we cared for our family, like the Church, our mother, has cared for us?

• Have we given them the necessary amount of attention or have we been indifferent about what happens to them?

• Are we always available or always busy?

• Have we taken the time to teach them or are we waiting for them to learn on their own?

• Are we bold enough to rebuke them or do we pretend not to see certain things?

• Are we pleased to discipline or do we not care about what they know or do not know how to do?

• Do we pray or ignore?

• Do we fight for them or hide from them?

• Do we confront the devil in their favor or do we only think about our own needs?

Many assistants give more of themselves to help those they don’t know, then their own family or those of the same faith!

This is all part of being affectionate. Being affectionate isn’t only about being kind, though this is part of it too. What good will it be to shower someone with compliments and not help them with what they really need? What good will it be to help a person and not show them how much they are important to you?

This is our role as women in society. We have to give love, attention, care and friendship, at least to those who are a part of our lives. Let’s not be like this world: cold, uncaring and selfish. Those who grew up in this kind of family know what it feels like to be traumatized for not having a mother’s affection… it’s painful and the consequences are even worse!

Just like the Church has been our mother and taught us things that no one in this world taught us, even things that are different from our own culture, we must also be loving with our family – whether it is part of our culture or not – it is part of the Work of God in our lives.

Let’s be gracious, friendly, understanding, affectionate! Sometimes a kind word makes all the difference – and you know this is true!