A Better Way: Love First
Written by Sarah de Orlando
I pushed the oversized cart down the giant aisles scanning for employees giving away samples. “Give hearts to anyone you want, Bug. Just tell me when you want to stop.”
Purple, red, orange, pink, and yellow construction paper notes filled our bag, and we were eager to give away all twenty.
“Happy Valentine’s!” My toddler said, handing a woman a construction paper heart. The note read, “you are loved.”
Most people received them with surprised, softened eyes.
“Oh, this is going on my fridge.”
“This was my first valentine's today.”
“Thank you. I made a heart cake for my granddaughter, oh, I’ll just have to show you.”
“I needed this, thank you.”
“I’ll keep this close to my heart,”
“I’m going to show my daughter.”
Until we had one challenger: “Sweetheart, you keep it, it’s ok,” he said. He was a grandfatherly man with the name badge, “Charles.”
“But Mami, why doesn’t he want it?” Her heart was so honest and open in front of him.
He reconsidered with a smile, “Ok, yes, I’ll take it.”
Bug handed him one with relief. He chose to receive our love note.
That day, we decided to love the people we saw every week. Although the employees weren’t outwardly hurt, how often do we have hidden pain and feel lonely? I have often put on a brave face working in customer service, hoping to be seen.
I wasn’t sure the impact of those simple hearts at Costco until several months later. One young man saw us at his sample station and said, “You’re the Valentine’s people, right? I still have mine here, in my wallet. I’ve had good luck ever since.” I smiled kindly, knowing it wasn’t luck at all, but the Father’s love reaching his heart.
Jesus calls us to love him, abide in his love, and out of that love, to love others above ourselves. I was delighted to share this experience with my three-year-old to demonstrate loving others. From the overflow of the Father’s love for me, it was easier to see others as Jesus sees them: loved.
“As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Now remain in my love… My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:9, 12-13 NIV
Loving sacrificially—even when it’s not on our schedule or convenience—is the ultimate love. The Lord commands us to be in tune with the Holy Spirit’s tug on our souls to slow down and love others well. But if we are consumed with our worries, it’s hard to serve others. In contrast to what our flesh believes, Jesus promises complete joy when we abide by his commands (John 15:10-11). And it’s the second most important command in Scrpture: “Love your neighbor as yourself,” (Luke 10:27 and Leviticus 19:18).
The world around us aches, and we have a beautiful opportunity to walk out Jesus’ love for others. Jesus invites us to serve a lot of different people: Lonely, hungry, thirsty, unclothed, sick, and imprisoned people (See Matthew 25:35-40).
In the gospel of Luke, Jesus shares a parable about a wounded man, one despised and left half dead on a dusty road without help. Two men pass him and keep on their way.
But one man, an unlikely one, has compassion and helps. Bandaging him up, the Good Samaritan carried him to a nearby town, and paying for his care at a local inn (Luke 10:25-37).
So let’s say yes to the opportunity to love others deeply. Even when it’s inconvenient, challenging, and when it takes something from us.
My sweet friend’s mama often says when you’re discouraged, find someone to serve. Helping others with love infuses our lives with purpose. It brings us and the recipient joy. I think it’s another way to understand the command to love others as we love ourselves. By putting others in front of our desires, we find contentment.
It’s counter-cultural to love and serve others as Jesus calls us to live. It unleashes radical grace and love. What better way to share Jesus’ sacrifice than by loving deeply.
CALL TO ACTION
Get full of God’s love. Remember whose you are and who you are in him - forgiven, chosen, loved (Ephesians 1 & 2). Soak in the truth of this Scripture with prayer, speaking them over yourself, and memorizing a verse or two.
Invite the Holy Spirit to give you eyes to see the needs around you. Then love others from your overflow.
