During this month, we express our love for the special person in our life. We buy them candy and flowers. Maybe a sweet smelling perfume. Maybe a piece of jewelry. We take them out to a nice restaurant with a romantic vibe. We do all this to say, “I love you.”
If you think about it, it’s kind of funny that we have this one day a year to purposely shower our other half with all this love. What about the other 364 days?
One of our many purposes as a human is to always show love to others. We are to show this love to our coworkers, friends, family, and strangers. This may be hard for some to hear because their work environment or their home environment isn’t in a healthy place. Some may say, “I’m not treated well, so why should I show kindness and caring toward them?”
It all comes down to this one simple thing, we were created to love God, ourselves, and most importantly others. Let me give you some examples of what that looks like.
I’m a middle school teacher. On our campus, we purposely celebrate one another. We do so by being apart of the Friday lunches in the teacher’s lounge. We will make copies for other teachers who can’t. We’ll take a class to the cafeteria for a teacher isn’t able to. We help sub when necessary. We check in with each other to see how we are all doing. We write notes of encouragement to a teacher who may be having a hard time. We ask, “how can I help you”, “do you need anything”, “what can I do for you”. Our campus is healthy in spirit because we try to focus on the team being mentally healthy.
Showing you care for your friends and family is just simply showing up and that can be done in many forms. You can send a text saying you’re checking in to see how they’re doing. You can invite them to coffee or lunch or whatever just to escape life for a minute and help them to breathe. You can sit with them when they can’t speak and just be in the silence with them. Just being there, just being fully present. No phone. No electronic distraction. You’re just there with them in the midst of whatever is going on.
There’s also a way to care that doesn’t rely on you being around them. You can pray for them, silently lifting them up. Nothing has to be wrong with them. They don’t have to be struggling. Just lift them up because you care about them. Give them to the Creator. Ask for them to watched over and cared for. Praise the fact they, like you, were created in the first place.
In today’s world, we’re becoming self-centered. I see it a lot in the classroom. “What did I do to deserve this?” “They did me wrong so, I’m done with them.” Instead of reaching out and mending the relationship, we retaliate because we’re hurt. That’s not what we are supposed to do. That was not in the original blueprint of how to handle adversity. We are to always love, no matter what. Even those who hurt us.
I’m not saying you have to remain friends with someone who hurts you. I’m simply saying continue to love them, even as you walk away. That is our greatest commandment, to love others. It’s hard to do!! So, so, so hard, but we grow when we love and fall when we don’t.
Valentine’s Day is Friday. I challenge you to show someone you care this week who isn’t your partner. Send the text. Suggest a coffee date. Take a walk with someone and just listen. We are to love everyday and we are to always love others. Imagine how much better life would be if we truly lived by this!