Brothers and sisters,
Valentine’s Day is this week. In previous years, I’ve taken this Illuminator article to reflect on love or tell a story about Valentinus, the saint the holiday is named after. But today, I want to keep it simple because, at its core, love is simple. Love is caring about another human being. Love is believing that another person deserves to be treated well, with dignity and respect. Our ability to love others comes from God and we Christians are called to love others.
So, rather than fill up a page with random thoughts I have about love or funny things I found on the internet, I’m just going to give you some suggestions of things you can do to remind others they are loved:
- Go to dinner with someone special to you and pick up the tab.
- Call a friend or family member and check in. Be sure to tell them, “I love you.”
- I’ve said this one a lot, but it’s always true—go out of your way to thank a service worker today.
- Consider making a donation to a charity that works with folks in need (any organization that works with refugees could use help right now).
- Treat yourself (remember that Jesus taught we are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves; so, show yourself some love)!
- Spend some time with God—it’s never a bad idea to ponder the love of God.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Ben