Loving Well

Valentine’s Day has turned into a commercial holiday. Restaurants create special menus and charge inflated prices. Chocolates and flowers abound.

This day that focuses on love cannot be all that bad. Couples celebrate their love for each other, children pass out Valentine’s to crushes, people acknowledge love to those in their circle.

This morning as I sent text Valentine’s wishes, I thought about love. What would it look like to love well? The phrase “love well” implies action. It requires intentionality. Love in action surpasses any emotion or way I may feel.

Love defined

At wedding ceremonies, many couples quote Bible verses defining love: “Love is patient and kind, not jealous, boastful, proud, rude. It is not irritable or demand its own way. Love keeps no record of being wronged.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-5)

As Christians, Jesus commands two things: first love God with all our being (heart, mind, soul, strength). Second: love others as ourselves. Only through Christ’s spirit can we love God or others as the Bible commands. In our humanness, we fail at both.

That said, all of us can take action to love better.

Love in action – to others

What might love in action look like?

Give those with us our undivided attention. We do not allow our phones to distract us. We look in their eyes and listen to their words, without interrupting.

If someone hurts us, we do not reciprocate or retaliate. We do not lash out at them with angry, hurtful words. We forgive more readily. Maybe we even make the first step.

Give offenders the benefit of the doubt. We all go through trials and struggles. Extend grace, not negative assumptions.

Reach out to those alone. Do something kind for someone who makes loving them hard. Extend love, unconditionally.

Love in action – to self

People often say you cannot extend love to others if you cannot love yourself. If you cannot fully embrace the unique way God created you, how can you embrace others who God uniquely made as well?

Think loving thoughts about yourself and others. Positivity goes a long way,

Affirm yourself (you will not get a “big head”). Affirm others. Do not take everything personally.

Ask yourself

Each day you awake, be intentional about how you can love well that day. Ask yourself: “What can I do today to love another better today?” At the end of the day, honestly reflect and ask “Did I do what I planned to do? Did I love someone else well today? How well did I love myself?”

Prayer

God, strengthen and equip me to step in and lend a hand to those who falter and not just do what is most convenient for me. Give me eyes to see the people around me and wisdom to help in love. Help me to embrace my uniqueness and others, to love as You love.

Romans 15:1-2