By Bradley Robertson

Love is patient, love is kind. – 1 Cor. 13:4
Last week, we celebrated the holiday of love, Valentine’s Day! As per the times and culture, I spent much of my week as a busybody, prepping my kids for extra events at school and deciding on what in the world to do for them for this highly anticipated day.
With all the to-do, I kept wondering, shouldn’t we celebrate love every day?
And why all the stuff? Why must we add all the fluff to something as simple as saying “I Love You.”
I’m old-school, and told my farmer husband I didn’t care for anything at all, but if he felt compelled to do something, I preferred a handwritten note. For I do not need extra, I need the real thing.
I also took time to write each of my kids a note. I wrote about what I’m currently proud of them for and included a Bible verse to back up my words. They need affirmation just like I do, and having a tween and teen in the house causes communication to often be skewed.
The sitting still and writing of notes led my heart into a new space. I began to think of families in my community that could use a little extra TLC. What about these guys on Valentine’s Day? What about affirming them in love with action and deed?
With great joy my heart did a little flutter. “This is how love is done!” I told myself. Maybe once a year in candy hearts and pink cupcakes, but love is done every day in action. And maybe actions speak louder than words.
You see, love is best represented in a true state of thought followed by action. God thought highly of his people and so he sent his son to teach us. God thought we also needed a savior; he sent his son for that too. Jesus thought, “I need to show these people real love.” And so he showed us by the way he served others. These two together highly thought of the needs of people, and so they acted in accordance to teach and lead and love them all.
There’s no better example that can be given. We too are to ponder the state of our fellow man and act in a way as to love them.
It appears to me that the most common word I hear from people when asked, “How are you?” is “busy.”
I wonder if God was busy when he decided to send his son to Earth? And I wonder how busy he was when his son was crying in agony on a cross? When God was creating all that he does in a 24-hour period, he took the time to send us his personal sign of love, Jesus. Do we need a better example than that?
We’re not busy, we just don’t make time to love our neighbor. When we get to heaven, do we want to talk about the busy things we did? I don’t. I want to tell all the stories of how I loved God’s people. I want joy leaping from my chest telling God of all the wonderful things we did together.
It starts here. Love in action. Every day. Small things and big things.
Love does balloons to a shut-in family. Love does a phone call just to check on someone. Love does a smile to a stranger and says, “Hello! How are you?” Love is a father taking his daughter to a dance party. Love is a mother showing up for her child’s school event. Love is sending a surprise gift to someone for no reason at all. Love is thinking of the needs of others and then showing up for them. Love is setting aside daily time to feel real human connection. Doing love is the best stuff life is made of.
In a world where power and pride seem to run the gamut, the need for love to intervene is tremendous. For if we don’t show others what love looks like, who will?
Love does Life. Love shows up in a way unexpected to meet the needs of people around us.
Be available. Be aware of your time. Be open to possibility and prepared to show up.
May we be patient with the time in our hands, and may simple acts of kindness touch the people around us. Love does miraculous things.
(I strongly encourage one of my favorite books, “Love Does” by Bob Goff. You will Love it!)