A recent article on the 1970 movie, Wild Child, (L'Enfant Sauvage by Francois Truffaut) brought to mind the incredible power of love. It's based on the true story of a filthy, walking-on-all-fours pre-teen boy found and captured by a group of hunters in 1798 in the South of France. He was turned over to the National Institution for the Deal and Dumb, and eventually put on display for the paying public. His savior was Dr. Jean Itard, a physician who through great effort, attempted to communicate and tame this 11 year old boy who had learned how to survive in the woods like a wild animal.
The key point of the story isn't our morbid fascination with how this boy came into his predicament and how he learned to survive in the way that he did. The key point is that this deeply caring doctor (who himself had experienced an isolated and rebellious childhood) saw this boy as a fellow human not a circus oddity, and welcomed him into his home. The key point is that through endless love, devotion and endless patience, he was able to reach this young boy's humanity.
The bigger point is that our heavenly Benefactor, our heavenly Physician welcomes us into His arms despite our weaknesses, our wildness, our sinful nature because He sees our beauty and desirability underneath it all. He, too, painstakingly and with endless amounts of love, patience, encouragement and guidance, reaches into our hearts and brings out the unique and precious "me" that has been there all along.
Praise be to the Lord, for He showed His wonderful love to me when I was in a besieged city... (Psalm 31:21)
By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me... (Psalm 42:8)
My son, do not forget My teaching, but keep My commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and peace they will add to you. (Proverbs 3:1)
What does love have to do with it? Everything!
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