Love Serves: Showing Christ’s Love on Valentine’s Day

 

I started seeing the hearts two weeks before Christmas, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Yes, in the middle of December, there they were – store shelves lined with Valentine’s Day cards and candy.

Valentine’s Day is one of those “holidays” that if you are a little bit cynical you might suspect is more commercial than anything. Another way for card and candy companies to make money, right?

But encouraging our children to love others is part of our privilege and responsibility as Christian parents. They live in a culture where people celebrate Valentine’s Day. How do we help them respond as believers?

While there is nothing in the bible that says we should celebrate Valentine’s Day (and nothing that says we shouldn’t,) there certainly is a lot in God’s Word about love. Every day is the perfect day to show others the love of Christ, and February 14 is no exception!

Make this Valentine’s Day be about more than slips of pre-printed paper and chocolate (as fun as those are.) Involve your family in really reaching out to love others!

Love Serves

Love your neighbor as yourself.  Matthew 22:39
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  James 1:22

Show your children by example that love is a lot more than a feeling. Christlike love takes action!

• Bake heart shaped cookies for local service people, like policemen, firemen, nurses, and deliver them.
• Give service coupons to family members (“I will take the trash out on your day,” “I will give you a five minute foot rub,” etc.)
• Bless a physically challenged neighbor by doing their yard work.

Love Encourages

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Our words have a profound impact. Encouraging words help others to see themselves as God sees them.

• Cut out enough paper hearts for each person to have one for every member in the family, not including themselves. On each heart write something you love about one of the people in your family. You can use different colored hearts to signify each person. We like to attach the hearts to a hanging plant to make a cheerful love decoration.
• Go around the table at dinner, taking turns speaking encouragement into one another lives – what you see that God is doing with them, how He has gifted them, etc.

Love Creates

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands! Psalm 90:17

We were made in the image of our creator God. Encourage your family members to use their gifts to create beautiful things to bless others.

• Put together little gifts with love scriptures like these from Not Consumed to give out at school or in the neighborhood
• Create a special meal to deliver to an elderly couple so they can enjoy a Valentine’s date at home.
• Decorate your house with scriptures about love (here are some to start you off.)

Love Rejoices

“Rejoice always” 1 Thessalonians 5:16

Those who love enjoy simply being together. Love rejoices in time shared and in deepening relationship.

• Spend time together as a family outside enjoying God’s creation.
• Pick up someone you know who is homebound and take them on an outing.

There are so many ways that you and your children can live love this Valentine’s Day (and every day!) I am sure God will show you exactly where He wants you to serve and love – just ask Him!