“With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.”

-Ephesians 4:22

At our recent Women’s Ministry Team’s Winter Retreat, our group studied verses from the Bible where the focus was on “one another.” We learned that there are 59 “one another” statements in the New Testament that instruct us to “do something” towards another person. Many of them are reminders to show love to one another, a timely message as we enter February, the month often associated with love and hearts and valentines. However, it is important to remember that “love” does not only mean a feeling or an emotion, yet it means taking actions which benefit others, and can come in many forms in all of our various relationships we have with family, friends, co-workers, neighbors and others.  

As a parent of a toddler, on some days it is easy to feel like I am constantly in the “do something for one another” phase and I can feel exhausted and lose track of the message above. However, upon a simple reflection, it doesn’t take long for me to realize how I am also being truly blessed in the process. My 3-year-old has recently been insistent on getting two bowls and sharing his favorite snack with me when I offer it to him, when he is thirsty and goes to get his water bottle from the table and sees mine next to his, he also brings mine to me assuming I must be thirsty, too, and the other day when I said I needed to rest for a minute because I wasn’t feeling well, he immediately offered me his favorite stuffed animal, saying, “Here, mommy, I think giraffe will help you feel better!” Wow! What beautiful signs that he’s noticed me sharing my love with him and what a blessing to me to feel it reciprocated.

Dear Lord, as we go about our daily lives this month, please help us keep a focus on your word, freely offering our love to one another, and open our eyes to our many simple blessings all around us. Amen.

Written by: Kristin Blomendahl