“Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.” Ephesians 5:2 (MSG)
Today’s is Valentine’s Day and the world around us is celebrating love with flowers and chocolate and jewelry and gifts. Everywhere you turn today you will see social media posts of how thoughtful someone’s significant other was today. But it isn’t a great day for everyone. Some are sitting alone today trying to pull the covers over their heads and hope the day passes by quickly.
I wonder what Jesus would be doing if there was such a thing as Valentine’s Day in His day? Would he be handing our flowers and chocolates? Would he be planning lavish dinners? I don’t think so. In my mind, he would be searching out the lonely, the brokenhearted and offering them compassion and love, a hand to hold, an unexpected blessing. I want to love like that.
I am not trying to say that we shouldn’t celebrate the day of love with our loved ones. We should always take the time and make the effort to let those whom we love know that we love them. ( I am always for chocolate! ) Having someone to love and be loved is one of life’s greatest blessings. But I know that we should all be going beyond our own blessings and looking for ways to bless others.
Author Les Parrot, (Love Like That: 5 Relationship Secrets from Jesus) writes “When we love like Jesus, we’re lifted outside ourselves. We shed self-interest — with our spouse, our kids, friends, everyone. His brand of love sees beyond the normal range of human vision — over walls of resentment and barriers of betrayal. When we love like Jesus, we rise above petty demands and snobbish entitlement. We loosen our tightfisted anxiety and relax in a surplus of benevolence.”
Parrot goes on to say that the Jesus model of love inspires us in following the best way to live, “the most excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31b, NIV).
He asks, But can anyone love like that? Love our enemies? Turn the other cheek? Go the extra mile? Is that kind of love beyond reason?
Yes, he writes. That’s the point.
To love like Jesus we have to open our heart. Opening our heart to everyone opens us up to be changed by Jesus. For our thoughts to be changed. It’s what Paul was getting at when he said, “You’ll be changed from the inside out” (Romans 12:1b, MSG).
If you protect your heart , you never open yourself up to love the unloved, to love those who are not in your own circle. To stretch your love beyond what you have known. You miss out on the extravagant love that Ephesians talks about.
I want to love like Jesus. I want to learn from Him how to be extravagant in my loving of others.
It isn’t easy. It’s much easier to stay in our own circle of loving those who love us. But there are so many more ways to be used for good if we step out into that extravagant love.
Tonight our chuch will be hosting a special dinner for widows in our community. We will lay out the “good china” and wrap these ladies with love and gifts and a special night of being together with other women in the community. On this Valentine’s Day they will not be alone, but will be shown Jesus’ extravagant love for them.
Let Valentine’s Day be a yearly reminder to more extravagant in the love you give to those around you. Love like that.
John 13:34, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (NIV)
