Working with thirty plus toddlers in our church nursery from time to time has not only taught me patience but most recently has reminded me about how much God loves us.

I was sitting in the middle of the nursery surrounded by little ones who were anxious to play. Being a big kid myself, I enjoyed racing toy cars, winding up squeaky toys and eating all the make believe French fries the two-year-old chefs cooked up for me. In the midst of the make believe meal, I heard a little child behind me let out a loud screech. I turned to see what the commotion was all about and witnessed one adorable little boy Kaleo Fala, with both of his arms wrapped tightly around the neck of another adorable but not so happy little boy who clearly wanted rescuing.

I called out to Kaleo and asked him to kindly let go of his friend in which he gave me a bright, broad smile covered with toddler drool before he released his grip. I then turned back around and continued eating the make believe food the pint-size Emril Lagasse’s were cooking up for me. Suddenly, I heard another piercing screech. Sure enough it was the same little boy trying to escape the squeezing grip Kaleo had around his neck.

Again, I asked Kaleo to release the boy, only this time I was a little firmer in which Kaleo once again gave me a sincere smile, which in all honesty would melt anyone’s heart, before he let go. I wondered why it was that Kaleo had such an expression of happiness and love on his face while at the same time squeezing the heck out his playmate.

The screeching, squeezing, smiling, releasing scenario happened a few more times before I decided to excuse myself from the “little chefs’ to better observe Kaleo’s actions.

As I watched Kaleo I quickly discovered he wasn’t trying to hurt or pester the little boy at all, he was simply trying to love him and love him hard, with all the love he had. Each time Kaleo noticed the little boy sitting alone he would wobble right towards him, wrap his arms around his neck, give a great big smile and hug him as tightly as possible could. It was as if he was trying to say, I love you with everything in me. Unfortunately, Kaleo’s intense expression of love was misunderstood by the little boy, causing him to cry out every time.

It made me think about how often we misunderstand God’s love. Face it, when God loves, He love’s hard and sometimes we just don’t understand. In the Bible we learn that God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Does that make sense? No, not to us. Yet that is how God loves. The Bible also teaches that God is rich in love (Psalm 145:8), that His love is unfailing and will not be shaken regardless of our what we do (Isaiah 54:10). No matter if we run, hide or let out a startling screech God’s unconditional love endures forever (Psalm 136: 2). Talk about intense love.

While I don’t think the little boy in the nursery ever came around to understanding Kaleo’s love grip, judging by his enthusiasm when his mommy finally came to pick him up, I do believe it would do us bigger kids a world of good to remember that God not only loves us, but He loves us hard, with everything He has.