BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US
By Kevin Farmer
When I think back on my elementary years, one event that brings back both fond and disappointing memories is Valentine’s Day.
I attended a small, Catholic, school in Philadelphia, PA, and every year there seemed to be a competition around who would receive the most Valentines.
As you can imagine, this created a host of problems. The popular kids got showered in candy and cards, while quieter kids with less friends only received a few. It appeared as though Valentine’s cards were reserved for those with the most “friend value.”
This behavior created a divide in our class. Those with the most cards saw themselves as super loved and important. They were the chosen ones. Those with less, felt unappreciated and somehow less special than their peers.
Sadly, these same thoughts are still prevalent today. Many students (and even adults) believe that their personal value is achieved by receiving gifts or affirmation from others.
But…
The good news is we can be set free from this way of thinking! We are each uniquely loved and valued by God. We don’t have to wait for a Valentine’s Card to know that God loves us – He does so generously and has since the beginning of time.
In fact, God loved us so much, He didn’t allow our sinfulness to keep us from being united with Him. In the book of Romans chapter 5, verse 8 we read these words;
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
So, what’s our response? Our response is to love God with everything that we have! Our response is do what God instructs us to do. Our response is to love others in the same way that God loves us.
So, help your children know that there is a love that is greater than any Valentine’s Day card! Help them to know that God loves them, that He values them and that they’re not alone. And then partner with them to extend that love to family, friends, and even to strangers.
Because that’s exactly what God did for us.
