By Leona Chen-Wong

TJ, now 15 months old, triggers memories of my earliest AAWOL blog, written when he was just born. Back then, I wasn’t prepared for the overwhelming flood of motherly love or the fear of missing out on his growth. Each passing day, week, and month reveals subtle changes in him. My parents-in-law often reassure me, “Just wait, kids only get cuter.” Skeptical at first, I now understand what they meant as I witness TJ’s development. The once helpless baby now grasps more of his surroundings and communicates without words, leaving me in awe of God’s intricate design even in infancy. I am humbled and embarrassed by how much I underestimated how God created human development, even in babies. At the same time, I am relearning so much about life and simple relationships that are correlated with love.

In recent years, I heard a preacher emphasizing to his congregation that the fruit of the spirit is singular, not plural fruits. In a way, there is also a sense of making all of the characteristics of the fruit of the spirit equal in weight without a particular order. As I experience God and watch how my son responds to our love for him, I strongly believe Apostle Paul deliberately lists out the fruit of the spirit in that order, and maybe just as he mentioned in 1 Corinthians, the greatest of faith, hope, love — love being the greatest of them all. Among the fruit of the spirit, though all represent God and his manifestation through us, love is the first and foremost, foundational aspect of who God is. As a result, the first overflowing characteristic of followers of Jesus would be love. And love can be found as the baseline for all the following lists of the fruit of the Spirit.

As I observe TJ’s development, I cannot help but notice his response to our love for him. His expressions of love, joy, and peace are not affected by his limitation of verbal communication. The natural body language of hugging people, patting those who are crying, offering his favorite food and toys to people, and the smiles, giggles, laughs, and dancing, are strong communications of the security he has found in our love for him. I realize what John means that perfect love casts out fear. Watching a baby growing in security and demonstrating their potential in an environment of no fear is amazing. There is no fear in falling when you believe you will be caught, there is no fear in exploring when you know you are watched and followed by someone who will guide you, and there is no fear in socializing when you know you will be led to friends or carried away if it’s uncertain strangers.

One thing I am amazed by with TJ is watching him wave at people far and near. Sometimes, I simply carry him to the position of a greeter at church, where he welcomes and greets people. People are often surprised by the gesture and offer to carry him, and he would turn away, setting the boundary to be at the level of greeting only.

I start to notice the potential we can have when we are truly secure in the love God has for us, or should I say, when we know that God is LOVE and in Him, we are invited to abide and live. How much freedom and courage we can have in that! I want to be like a child who receives God’s love and out of that overflows to all the places I explore and the people I wave at.

Leona Chen, originally from Canada and raised in Hong Kong, has devoted herself to full-time ministry, serving in various capacities including college and youth ministries. Currently, she pastors in Los Angeles, where she brings her cultural background and fervent dedication to intergenerational ministry to her role.