February 19th, 2025
by Sarah Cushing
by Sarah Cushing
Last week I walked into the dollar store to purchase some birthday/Valentine’s Day balloons for my oldest daughter. I found helium balloons shaped like pizza slices with the words “you’ve got a pizza my heart” on them. Naturally, I bought three. A couple of the store’s aisles displayed Valentine’s Day decorations and there was even one section ready for the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day. I thought about how much our culture loves to celebrate.
Celebrating others is a fun and cheerful way to show love to one another. We can come alongside our family and friends to celebrate personal milestones such as birthdays and retirements. We can gather as groups to celebrate our love for someone or something else whether it be a musical artist or a sports team. These are the moments when our love is loud and expressive.
What about the instances when how we show love is not with balloons and color-coordinated paper plates and cups? What if the theme for the get together is unchecked pride? Or unresolved conflict between a brother or sister in Christ? There are times when we may show love to another by walking together through grief and loss. Is choosing to step into the messy lives of our loved ones loving? I believe that it is.
In the Apostles’ letters we see instructions to “encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all,” (1 Thessalonians 5:14), to even warn one another if needed (2 Thessalonians). These things were not written to compare who was holier than the other, but as instruction to remember this life will have its challenges and Christians need to walk alongside other Christians. While sin tricks us into thinking we are alone, that is simply not true. God designed the church so that we could receive Godly help and love from people physically around us. God’s love shines through the joyful moments and the messy moments, and He often uses His people to remind us of His promises.
These believers we read about who walked side by side in love on the good and hard days and were encouraged to do so bring me hope. Even in the messy love, there is hope. It is an impossible, unearthly hope that our souls can recognize because we see it in Jesus. We know it exists in Jesus and that through Him it is available to us still. In Jesus we have hope that the struggles are not in vain, that with a thankful heart we will find reason to rejoice again and again, and that our God remains faithful and true no matter what.
Celebrating others is a fun and cheerful way to show love to one another. We can come alongside our family and friends to celebrate personal milestones such as birthdays and retirements. We can gather as groups to celebrate our love for someone or something else whether it be a musical artist or a sports team. These are the moments when our love is loud and expressive.
What about the instances when how we show love is not with balloons and color-coordinated paper plates and cups? What if the theme for the get together is unchecked pride? Or unresolved conflict between a brother or sister in Christ? There are times when we may show love to another by walking together through grief and loss. Is choosing to step into the messy lives of our loved ones loving? I believe that it is.
In the Apostles’ letters we see instructions to “encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all,” (1 Thessalonians 5:14), to even warn one another if needed (2 Thessalonians). These things were not written to compare who was holier than the other, but as instruction to remember this life will have its challenges and Christians need to walk alongside other Christians. While sin tricks us into thinking we are alone, that is simply not true. God designed the church so that we could receive Godly help and love from people physically around us. God’s love shines through the joyful moments and the messy moments, and He often uses His people to remind us of His promises.
These believers we read about who walked side by side in love on the good and hard days and were encouraged to do so bring me hope. Even in the messy love, there is hope. It is an impossible, unearthly hope that our souls can recognize because we see it in Jesus. We know it exists in Jesus and that through Him it is available to us still. In Jesus we have hope that the struggles are not in vain, that with a thankful heart we will find reason to rejoice again and again, and that our God remains faithful and true no matter what.
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