Commandment of Love

Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: `Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’

The second is equally important: `Love your neighbor as yourself.‘ No other commandment is greater than these.” (Matthew 12:29-31 NLT; bolding mine)

Today is Valentine ’s Day. I look at my sleeping family (it’s 2am) and my love for them overwhelms me. I couldn’t imagine my life without them. I wouldn’t want my life without them.

I am pretty selfish with my love. I don’t give it out freely. Not as freely as I should. I’m quite stingy, in fact. Someone cuts me off on the highway, I express road rage. A person stands in a 10 or less express line at the grocery store with 15 items, I grumble. I’m quite temperamental. Something I usually deny. At least when the kids act temperamental and I am accused of passing that gene to them. Then I always deny being temperamental.

Jesus commanded us to love others. It was the 2nd most important commandment of the entire Bible. Must be pretty important, huh? But why is this sometimes the hardest thing to do? Why is my first response a grumble when someone gives me hassle rather than patience and a smile? I may be a Christian, but I will admit many times I don’t act like one.

It is a whole new mindset. For me at least. My grandfather is one of those people who showed love to everyone. He demonstrates great patience with exasperating people. He demonstrates love to the underdog. My grandfather is liked by many people because of his gentle soul. After years of being verbally beaten down by my ex-husband, I went home to Florida and stayed with my Grandfather for a couple of months. During that time, he built me up. He knew how low my self-esteem was. He saw my head hung low from years of hardship. And he strived everyday to tell me that I *was* someone. That I *was* important. That my thoughts, my dreams, my fears… it all mattered. And oh how his love did something to me. I became the confident woman that I was in my early twenties. Because he took the time.

And I think what if I was more like him? Loving, forgiving, patient with others. What if we all were? What kind of world would we live in? Even if you are not a Christian, you must agree that if we all loved our neighbor as ourselves, this world would be a much better place, right? So, this Valentine’s Day, I’d like to throw out a challenge to you. One that I am accepting as well…

Today, show love to someone that you come across. Maybe the cashier at the grocery store looks distracted and preoccupied. Perhaps a little old man is walking too slow in front of you. Maybe a patron at Starbucks could use a bit of change to buy their latte.  (Did you read about the good deed paid forward 813 times?) Perhaps there is a single mother who lives next door to you who is struggling with her children and job. Maybe a man, homeless and in rags, need just a bit of change for some food. Maybe a child needs an extra hug.

Show love to any person you come across today who needs a smile, a kind word, or a gesture of love from you. Because you may be just that one and only person who can and will bring sunshine to their gloomy day. Your gesture of love may be just what is needed to restore their hope in humanity. You may be the one God will use today to light someone’s life.

Happy Valentine’s Day