Love is Kind |It’s Valentine’s ish

Happy Valentines!

Spoiler alert… this is not your typical Valentine’s Day post. Read on.

For the past seven days, I have been posting scriptures on Facebook and Instagram about, you guessed it, love. Loving God’s way. Loving well. Loving selflessly.

These scriptures challenged me to up my kindness. To be motivated by kindness. I think, even when we think we are a kind person, we can probably still be better at it in some way. We are humans. Humans aren’t wired to be selfless.

But GOD is. He is love, He is selfless, and it is only by His grace that we can love this way:

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. 

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a NKJV

How many times this week have you heard the term “self care” or “self love“?

Now, how many times have you read these terms in the Bible?

Those exact words maybe can’t be found.

A self-care day could maybe be referred to as a Sabbath? A day of rest. I mean, I can be real here, right? A spa day would be lovely. (Nudges husband)

We need to take care of ourselves even as we take care of others. In doing this we will take better care of our families, do better at our jobs, and hopefully be better, kinder people.

However.

We live in a society—at least us westerners—that are too focused on self.

Have you ever complained about adult-ing?

I actually don’t use this phrase. I feel like there should be some Freaky Friday type movie where the protagonist goes from her responsibility filled life to switching shoes with a teenager… with less responsibility.

Do you remember being a teenager?

And you want to go back?

Are you crazy?

Do you remember being a kid? ‘Cause I couldn’t wait to grow up. I’m the youngest of four sisters, and let me tell you, they warned me. “Don’t grow up too fast, Amy, once you get a job you never stop working.”

They were right.

Even my six-year-old said to me the other day, “ya, but I look like I’m seven.” If you know him you’re probably laughing. Because he looks like he’s eight. Not seven or six.

Perhaps, when people say this, maybe all they’re saying is, “I need rest. I need a Sabbath.”

This I get.

You are a child of God. He loves you, and He wants us to see ourselves as He sees us. To love ourselves and love our neighbors the same way.

‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”

Matthew 19:19 NKJV

And here’s the kicker:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

Matthew 5:42-44 NKJV

Fun fact. In Guatemala I once had a lady try to sell me a tablecloth with this line, “For your friend? For your enemy?”

I know, this is not what you would expect from a Valentine’s Day post. Your welcome. I’m giving you a break from Cupid for five minutes.

Okay, fine, if you insist, I’ll give you some romance advice.

If we can learn to love our neighbors – and even our enemies – how much better can we love our spouse? And if God is challenging us to love others as we love ourselves, in what ways do we need to work on improving how we show kindness to that significant other? And to all our loved ones?

I am beyond blessed to have a husband who is a kindness showing pro. From the get-go he went out of his way to show me kindness. He’s a true gentleman. And, guys, that got my attention.

One of the first gestures of simple kindness he did for me was at Wendy’s after church one night. We were aqcuaintances. He was sitting, eating his food with the other young adults from church, a fellow and I arrived at the same.

You all, that fellow took the last chair. My, now, husband got up and brought a chair over for me without missing a beat.

Okay, yes, it was right beside him. He’s a smart one.

Thing is, he was like this with everyone. I’m not talking flirty – he’s not that. He’s kind.

Singles, do you want to attract a spouse that has integrity? Watch for kindness. That might be one clue.

Today, in the midst of your regular Valentines festivities, find a way to be extra kind to the one you love… or like… if you’re not in the ‘love’ category just yet.

And next time you realize you are getting run down, remember this: God made the Sabbath. He was kind of enough to think of it before you even knew you needed it.

I can handle that.