Love is in the Air
Love is in the air as we approach Valentine’s Day, February 14. Hearts, cupids, cards, and candies started appearing on the store shelves before we had completed our Christmas and New Year celebrations. But did you know Valentine’s Day or St Valentine’s Day originated as a Christian feast day honoring early Christian martyrs named Valentine? Only later did it become associated with romantic love.
There are so many Bible verses that talk about love, of course that is what the Gospel is about, Love. The Greatest Commandment is given in Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV); “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
In this month known for Love how can we show our love for God and others?
- Look up “love” in your Bible’s Index and read through the verses.
- Share those verses with others.
- Send a Valentine’s card to someone you miss from church.
- Be courageous and send a card to someone you don’t know from church.
- Invite someone who lives alone for coffee or lunch.
- Sit and listen to someone, really listen to what they have to say.
- A Hug, Handshake or High five.
- Leave a small bag of candy for the mailman with a thank you note.
- Fill a simple jar with candy, tie a ribbon around the top, and give it to the church staff with a note that says, “God loves you and we do too!”
- Write a note of encouraging words to someone.
- Make a phone call.
- Send an email to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while.
- Deliver Valentines or cookies to your neighbors.
- Recognize and celebrate a friend’s special qualities.
- Cut hearts from whatever paper you have, decorate them and hand them out to random people you meet in your day.
- Pray with someone.
- Encourage someone.
- Look back on your accomplishments together with a partner, friend, or co-worker.
- Reconcile, forgive.
- Compliment and smile.
- Laugh together.
- Find/make time for someone.
- Thank God for the blessings He shows us each day.
- Thank God for the people He brings into our lives.
- Make the most of the opportunity to express God’s love to those around you today.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 1 John 3:16 (NIV)