For those men out there that may have forgotten – here is your reminder – Sunday is Valentine’s Day! You’ve only got a couple of days to find that something special for your loved one!
I heard that each year, Americans spend around $20 billion on gifts for Valentine’s Day. Yet, some couples aren’t all that into exchanging gifts to show their love for one another. In fact, some of you may be aware of Dr. Gary Chapman’s “5 Love Languages” which talks about the various ways in which we feel most loved. Sure, one of them is “receiving gifts,” but there are also “words of affirmation,” “acts of service,” “quality time,” and “physical touch.” Everyone, it seems, falls into one of these ways that recognize the way that we feel we are loved.
Jesus proclaimed, “If you love me, you will keepmy commandments.” (Jhn 14:15) This was his love language; this was they way he declared we can show our love for him – that we keep his commandments. And what were they? Well, the greatest commandment we have often heard, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Mtw 22:37) “And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mtw 22:39). Jesus gave us, in the plainest of language, the way that we can show him how we love him – by loving God and loving neighbor.
Perhaps this Valentine’s Day (and every day) this could be our task? Perhaps we could show Jesus how much we love him by spending some time with God and neighbor. Perhaps we could bring them some gifts. Perhaps we could give them some words of affirmation. Perhaps we could perform some acts of service for them. Perhaps we could spend some quality time with them. (Touch might be difficult in our current context, but hey, get creative while still being safe and keeping one another healthy!)
We all need love. We all want to be loved by someone else. Perhaps this week you can be the conduit of God’s love in someone else’s life.
In Christian love,
Pastor Steve
I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (Jhn 13:34-35)