At Valentine’s Day we think of love and its expression. Usually with a meal, flowers, candy and romantic atmosphere we express our love and devotion. Is that all it is?
I have spent some time this week looking for songs with the word love in the chorus. Thursday I posted a status asking for input from my Facebook friends. As of Friday I have 32 comments with titles. I didn’t know I could get that kind of response! Is a song an adequate expression of love? Words are just words without action. Action they say (I want to be quoted as a “they” someday) speaks louder than words. Actions also reveal what we consider important.
Those important things in our live receive priority. We spend time thinking about them, contemplating their value to us and for us. We consider ways to express our gratitude and how to spend time with them if our priorities are people. In my Life Group we are looking at the vows a couple makes when getting married what they mean and how we live them out.
This week comes our priority in relationships. Who is number one? Who should be? For a follower of Jesus God is number one, first priority then spouse number two, then children etc. That’s an easy answer right from the book. Now for a harder one, consider what you spent the most time thinking about or doing last week. Consider that what we spend the most time thinking about and doing is our primary priority, then what is number 1 in your life? I would guess that like me you are off the page now not even in the same book. Because God has not been your number one priority according to how you spent your time last week. Am I right? I do hope not. What about your love? Your spouse how did they rank by your actions 1, 2, 8, 10 somewhere lower? Don’t fret it is easy to get priorities out of order.
Valentine’s Day is a great day to consider what you love and to recommit to loving in God’s order, God first, spouse second family next. Love is nothing if it has no action. Take a post-it and write three action steps that will be expressions of your love to those in top priority. For God it may be a set time of prayer, scripture and meditation period. No e-mail, paper, of TV before, making your first thoughts about your chief love. For your spouse, maybe you will think of three great things about them each day and share one of them with your spouse, for your children, a hug once a day along with a smile.
Expressions of love are best when they are simple and spontaneous but that means they must be a priority relationships you consider important and worth thinking about daily and not just once a year. Oh and guys chocolate never hurts but washing the dishes once in a while does even better.
Love out loud for the rest of the year.
It WILL make a difference.
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