Today in my Sunday school class I was teaching my three year olds about the love of Jesus, which is appropriate since Valentine’s Day is almost here. While they were having their snack the Lord brought a news broadcast back to my memory. This woman on the Today Show was telling about her life after death experience and she said before Jesus sent her back into her body He asked her if she’d ever loved anybody as much as He loved her? She said honestly no, and she also made a bold statement that even working with cancer patients she never really loved them like she should have. When they would start talking about God she would tell the doctors that their morphine levels were too high and they were talking out of their head. And Jesus’ one commandment he told her to do is to love others like He loved her.
This is not a new concept being as that was the biggest thing He taught and preached on while walking on earth and the command He gave before ascending to heaven. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. (2 John 1:5 KJV). Love is by far the easiest and the hardest emotion to express in this day and age. People find their jaded past, heartaches and wrongs keep them from showing the love that Jesus commanded of us, most often becoming bitter and cold. We don’t love our neighbors as ourselves, let’s be honest most of us don’t even know who our neighbors are. I am guilty of this myself.
So this Valentine’s Day let us not only show love to our spouses or beloved let’s show love to everyone. Take time this upcoming holiday go out of your way to do something for a perfect stranger to show the love of Jesus. Here is a list of small things you can do to get started.
1. Smile and smile back
2. Hug someone
3. Remember people’s names
4. Show empathy
5. Practice good manners
6. Take time to listen
7. Do something for nothing
8. Spend time with someone from a different generation
9. Praise people
10. Give blood
For more suggestions on things you can do to show God’s love this holiday season or any day of the year for that fact you can check it out at the website WeAreWhatWeDo.com
“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? (Matthew 5:43-47 )
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)
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I asked Christ how much He loved me. He said, “This much.” He stretched out His hands and died.
