Love One Another
It's Valentine's Day.
It's the day set aside to celebrate love. It's a day for candy and flowers and cards that bear the inscription, "Be my Valentine." It's a day to appreciate all the different types of love in our lives, whether it is a romantic relationship, the love of family, or the bond of friendships that have been strengthened over time.
As I contemplated what to write for today's post, a certain Bible verse came to mind. In John 13:34, it says, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." Such a small, simple verse, but so very powerful. And there are so many different ways to interpret it.
What does the phrase "love one another" mean to you? Do you think of it merely in terms of your friends and family, or does it have a broader meaning?
Like many of you, I have been horrified by events that have occurred in our country over the past year. As I've watched these scenes unfold, it has become clear to me that we've forgotten what "love one another" really means.
To illustrate my point, let's take note of all the things the verse DOESN'T say. It does not say to love one another if we share the same political beliefs or if we come from the same background. It doesn't say to love one another if we have the same skin color or if we share the same faith or lifestyle choices. It makes no distinction between the differences that so easily divide us. It simply says LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
It's my belief that Jesus intended this command as a very broad definition. He loved everyone, no matter who they were, where they came from, or what they had done. As Christians, I believe He expects nothing less from us.
So how do we accomplish that? How do we love one another the way that Christ loved us?
I think loving one another can take many different forms. Perhaps it's helping out a neighbor in need. Maybe it's calling a lonely friend, making certain they know they are loved. Perhaps it's bestowing forgiveness when it would be easier to give into anger. Maybe it's showing kindness instead of criticizing. Maybe it's wearing a mask to protect others. Maybe it's going to work every day and performing our jobs, no matter the personal risk. Perhaps, in its most basic form, it's putting others' needs before our own, even if that means we must sacrifice our own desires and agendas.
It's Valentine's Day. It's the day set aside to celebrate love. And however you choose to spend your time today, I hope you'll take a moment to contemplate what it means to truly love someone else. Jesus gave us the guidelines. It's up to us to define what they mean for our lives.