Do This One Thing to Guarantee a Happy Valentine’s Day

You know what today is. And depending on your relationship status, you either love it or hate it.

JP and I haven’t always been the greatest at celebrating Valentine’s Day. Case in point: one Valentine’s Day we celebrated with dinner and a movie–Silence of the Lambs. Thankfully, we still laugh about that one.

The thing about a holiday like Valentine’s Day is that it’s rife with the potential to disappoint. The hype surrounding the holiday rarely delivers. Why?

Because it’s virtually impossible for real life to match ideal life.

But what if doing just one thing could guarantee a happy Valentine’s Day in real life?

It can.

A few days ago my Bible fell open to 1 Corinthians 14:1,

“Let love be your highest goal”.

Maybe it was the simplicity of the command, or maybe it was all the January chatter about goal setting, or maybe it was the gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit, but for whatever reason, the verse hit me like a two-by-four.

 A few days later I read Jesus’ command in John 15:17,

“Love each other.”

This time one word jumped out: Each. Love each other. I tend to think about loving all, Jesus tells me to love each. I get overwhelmed at the prospect of loving everyone; Jesus simplifies love by instructing me to love each one.

Each one I live with.

Each one I come across.

Each one I work beside.

Each. One.

Love isn’t best bequeathed to groups; love is best bestowed to one.

And here’s the thing that trips us up on a day like today: we can’t control how others love us.

But we can control how we love others.

And somehow, in God’s great economy, when I give love, I get love.

On the day we celebrate love, let’s keep it simple, shall we? Let’s remember each person we interact with today has been placed there by divine design. Each person needs love. Let’s be the people who give it.

Instead of seeking to receive love, let’s seek to give love.

Instead of getting fancy, let’s get personal.

Let’s give each one we meet today a smile, a hug, an encouraging word, or a helping hand. And yes, maybe even a card and a gift.

You have an each one. I have an each one. The way we love all is love each.

We can never love everyone if we don’t start by loving each one.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

You are loved.

 

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