Timmy's Valetines...Love is Not Self Seeking

When I was growing up one of our favorite times in school was Valentines Day. I remember my mom helping me decorate an old shoe box with crepe' paper and then we'd go out and buy a package of Valentines for me to give away. I had to be careful who I gave them to since you sure didn't want to give a girl in the second grade some mushy card. The exciting thing was to bring your box home and look at all the cards you received from your classmates.

I read a story of a little boy, Timmy we'll call him, who was not very popular in school. In fact he was made fun of and often left out of games and kids parties. When Valentines Day rolled around he couldn't wait to get his box and Valentines together. He took a long tedious time picking out the right Valentine for each classmate.

As he left for school the next morning he took care in packing the Valentines and carrying his box out the door and to the bus. His mother knew Timmy was not very popular and as he left she couldn't help but have a heavy heart knowing that he would probably get few Valentines from the other children. She decided that he would need some extra love when he came home so she spent the afternoon making cookies and waiting for Timmy to return home on the afternoon bus.

Finally the bus drove up and Timmy stepped off the bus with head bowed and shaking it back and forth. As he approached his mother she heard him mumble "not a one". At this her heart sank and tears began to well up in her eyes with concern for her disappointed child. As he approached her, he looked up smiled and said, "Not a one, I didn't forget a single one."

Love is not self-seeking. When we love the way the Jesus wants us to love it means that we want the best for others. It means that we are just as concerned about others feelings, others needs, others wants and others welfare just as we are ours.

When we think of others we hurt when they hurt, we rejoice when they are happy, we weep with them, laugh with them and truly want the best for them. Love that is not self seeking has no room for jealousy. It has no room for harboring ill will. It puts others ahead of ourselves. As a result it makes us a better and happier person.

A man once died and was given a tour of Hell. When he walked into the room he saw a long table with everyone sitting around it. The table was full of the most delicious food imaginable. The problem was that each person had one arm tied behind their back and a three foot spoon tied to the other hand. They were crying and angry because even with all the food it was out of their reach.

The man was depressed with the scene so he asked to see Heaven. When he walked into the room he saw the same scene, table, food, spoon and hand behind back. But they were all laughing and having a great time. The difference was that they were feeding each other.

Love that is not self seeking is love that feeds each other.