John 13: 34-35
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Valentine’s Day is nearly upon us, and as it falls on the first day of Lent, we’re taking an early dive into some scriptures to inspire us to love more consistently and intentionally.
The Bible has a lot to say about love, in particular, how to express love, care, and encouragement with our actions through kindness, patience, and humility. Jesus and His disciples spoke of these commands often, and they are mentioned as the “one anothers” throughout the New Testament. By no means is this an exhaustive list, but let us take a look at some of the verses on how we can love one another, dear readers, not just on Valentine’s Day, but every day, for the sake of the kingdom!
• Love one another (Jn 13:34, 15:12, 17; Rom 13:8; 1 Thess 3:12, 4:9; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 Jn 3:11, 4:7, 11; 2 Jn 5)
• Through love, serve one another (Gal 5:13)
• Tolerate one another in love (Ephes 4:2)
• Greet one another with a holy kiss (1 Peter 5:14)
• Be devoted to one another in love (Rom 12:10)
• Give preference to one another in honor (Rom 12:10)
• Regard one another as more important than yourselves (Phil 2:3)
• Serve one another (Gal 5:13)
• Be subject to one another (Ephes 5:21)
• Clothe yourselves in humility toward one another (1 Peter 5:5)
• Bear one another’s burdens (Gal 6:2)
• Speak truth to one another (Ephes 4:25)
• Comfort one another concerning the resurrection (1 These 4:18)
• Encourage and build up one another (1 These 5:11)
• Stimulate one another to love and good deeds (Her 10:24)
• Be hospitable to one another (1 Peter 4:9)
• Be at peace with one another (Mark 9:50)
• Be of the same mind with one another (Rom 12:16, 15:5)
• Accept one another (Ro 15:7)
• Gently, patiently tolerate one another (Ep 4:2)
• Be kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving to one another (Ep 4:32)
• Bear with and forgive one another (Co 3:13)
• Seek good for one another, and don’t repay evil for evil (1 Th 5:15)
• Confess sins to one another (Jas 5:16)
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Lord God, fill our hearts with such love that this fruit of the Spirit will be a reflection of Your love to the “one anothers” in our lives and for us to be effective witnesses to those around us who so desperately need Your love. We ask this for the sake of Christ. Amen.
~ painting, “Love One Another” by Charlotte Ware
