“These three words can change your life.”

A thought by John Townsend from his book, Loving People (p.3). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

The three words are, “I love you.”

John says, “Whether you are on the giving or receiving end of these words, they reach deeply into us and transform us. They remind us that love is one of the most important aspects of our lives, guiding our steps from our early years to our last days.”

He goes on, “I recently took my wife and kids on a ski vacation during a school break. When it was time to return home, one of our sons wanted to stay longer to snowboard with friends. Austin, one of his best friends, was among them. We made arrangements for other parents to drive him home later that day, and my wife and I left with our other son.

“That evening, our son called us and said that everything was a big mess. He misjudged his time and took off for one more ride down the mountain when it would have been better to meet the others who were driving him home. On top of that, he accidentally fell into a deep snowbank and had difficulty getting himself out. It was a frightening experience for him.

“By the time he got back to the pickup spot, he had made the entire party late starting on the long ride home. Naturally, the others were frustrated and angry with him. It was an unpleasant experience for everyone in the car.”

He continues, “When our son got home, we talked about what happened. He said, ‘Dad, I know I was wrong about taking the extra ride. It was my fault that we were all so late. I shouldn’t have done it. Everyone was right to be mad at me.’”

His son then said, “But what I remember most is what Austin said. While everyone was yelling at me, all Austin said was, ‘Are you all right?’ He was worried about me in that snowbank.”

John says, “HOW WE OPERATE AS LOVING PEOPLE, AND WHO WE LOVE, WILL MAKE A GREAT DIFFERENCE IN THE COURSES OF OUR LIVES.”

He then says, “Certainly there is no question that my son needed to learn a lesson about responsibility and judgment, and I think he did. But what mattered even more was Austin’s concern for him. That is because love comes first..”

And that is so true, isn’t it?

Yes, yes!

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