February brings store shelves filled with red heart-shaped boxes of chocolates, gift baskets of goodies in reds and pinks, and beautiful bouquets of flowers ready for a special someone. Valentine’s Day is certainly a Hallmark holiday, but its emphasis on love of all kinds is also worth celebrating for Christ followers.
I John 4:19 says, “We love because He first loved us.” Such a simple but powerful Truth. The reason we can and do love others is truly because we have been loved since before we were even born. Our Father God created us with love and we were loved by Him from the beginning of time.
We can show people in our lives love in so many ways, often unique to us and that relationship. We can also show love to people in our community, and right now our world could really use some feet-on-the-ground, tangible love.
It has been almost a year since the words “pandemic” and “quarantine” became a normal part of our everyday conversations. We all thought this would pass after a few months, but it drags on and on.
In particular, our health care workers, first responders, and teachers are ready for some respite and relief. While we can’t change the way this virus is daily impacting our lives, we can provide some encouragement to those that desperately need it.
Here are seven ways to encourage those on the frontline this Valentine’s Day:
- Take snacks to medical staff on the COVID floor or Emergency Department at your local hospital.
- Drop off treats or gift cards for a local school to give to their in-person and virtual teachers.
- Collect canned goods and non-perishable items for your local food bank.
- Drop off doughnuts at one of the vaccine or testing sites in your area for the nurses and staff.
- Make cards for residents at a nursing home in your area.
- Collect funds to pay for the electricity bill for someone in your community that is behind in their payments.
- Put together bags of supplies such as socks, water, toothbrush, toothpaste, lotion, lip balm, and snacks to give to the homeless in your community.
There are so many needs in our community right now, and it can be overwhelming. These are ideas you can do individually, as a family, or even as a small group or Sunday School class. We can’t fix most of the issues we are facing in our world right now, but we can do small things that have a big impact.
People need encouragement and love during the whole year, January through December, but February challenges us to put our love into action and be the hands and feet of Christ to those in our community that need it.
Very nice ways to “love your neighbor”. Thank you!