Squeezing from the top or the bottom?

I am of the opinion that the world can be neatly divided into two distinct groups of people, determined by a seemingly insignificant daily habit – squeezing toothpaste. You’re either a bottom-of-the-tube-squeezer or, well, someone like me who just squeezes from anywhere. The latter group might not even pay attention to this trivial detail, just picking up the toothpaste tube and using it without a second thought every morning and evening. However, bottom-of-the-tube-squeezers tend to notice such nuances, carefully squeezing from the tube’s bottom section daily. Interestingly, often these two different types of people end up married to one another, as is the case in my household. Being an “I-squeeze-from-anywhere” person, I hadn’t even realized that my husband and I had different toothpaste squeezing habits until one morning, 23 years into marriage. I casually marvelled on how neat the toothpaste tube was, only for my patient husband to reveal that he daily fixes the haphazard squeezing chaos that I unleash on the tube. It was a revelation! After a giggle together and some apologizing, I recognized that my I-squeeze-from-anywhere habit might be somewhat bothersome, yet my beloved had never mentioned it. When I asked him about it, he simply smiled and said, ‘I love you, and I know you don’t mean it, so I just fix it.’ That, my friends, is love – gracefully drawing the curtain over small annoyances, deciding that some things aren’t worth the fuss, compensating and giving room for each other’s quirks.

The Bible beautifully describes love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (The Message): “Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always ‘me first,’ Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. Love never dies.” In this month of February, typically referred to as the Love month, may our love embody these principles. Not just the love we have for our spouse, children, family or even Church family, but also the love we extend to others—those we may not see eye to eye with, those who hold different beliefs, those who work against us, and those whose lifestyles or choices differ from ours. 

It’s a revolutionary call …

Let us love. Let us love each other. Let us love everyone. This is not just a suggestion, but a command from Jesus Himself, as stated in 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.” It’s a revolutionary call to be identified by our love for each other, surpassing any external symbols like our uniforms, music, flag or Salvation Army programmes. Jesus, in setting His own love as the standard, challenges all believers to aspire to this remarkable expression of love. Love one another in the same way as He has loved us.

As we make our way through February, may we wholeheartedly respond to the call to love. Let our love be obvious, extravagant and tangible, extending beyond mere feelings. Love is more than an emotion; it is a deliberate choice—one that we can and must make every day. It supersedes even the trivialities, like where we squeeze the toothpaste tube. In choosing love, we mirror the selfless and enduring standard set by Jesus. This month may our lives be a testament to this intentional love, impacting those around us and reflecting the very essence of the One who is Love. 

Pause to Ponder:

How does my love for others reflect the standard of love described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8?

Am I willing to overlook minor annoyances and inconveniences in my relationships, choosing love over frustration?

How can I extend love beyond my immediate circle to those with whom I may not see eye to eye, those who hold different beliefs, or those who may work against me?

Evaluate your actions, attitudes and responses to others, and reflect on whether your life is characterized by a genuine and consistent expression of God’s love.