In just a few short days lots of people will be sending valentine's cards and presents to the ones they love. Some will be signing them "love from ?"

I never did understand that.

Why would you not want the person you are in love with to know? How else will they be able to respond? Surely the point of a love letter, card or gift is to help start a relationship with the other person.

It's better to know who it is who's saying they love us. Then we can decide if we want to accept that love or reject it.

Acts of love can take many forms. Whether it's a card, a gift or something else like and helpful act done by someone who loves us.

Jesus once wrapped a towel round His waist and washed the feet of His disciples. He knew that God had given Him power over all things in the universe. He could have commanded Angels to come and do anything He wanted. And yet He chose to wash and dry the feet of these men. The story tells us that Jesus was showing them "the full extent of His love".

And the disciples had the option to accept this love and have their feet washed, or not. Peter was unsure at first, but once he understood what Jesus was doing he accepted it fully.

If anyone washed my feet I would definitely think they loved me... as it's not something you'd want to do by choice. Washing someone's feet in those days would have been an unpleasant job done by a servant, as the feet would be very dirty from walking on dusty streets in sandals.

And yet this is how Jesus showed His love, by doing the work of a servant. And He told them this was an example they should follow with others. This is why over the years Christians have started charities, run youth groups, helped the elderly, the infirmed, newly weds, those in poverty, the abused, those who need counselling and guidance, the homeless - to name a few.

The love Jesus showed is an example of how we should show love to each other.

So perhaps this year, instead of getting your loved one a box of chocolates, or a bouquet of flowers, you might try something like washing their feet, that shows them how much you really love them?

What would the world be like if we all chose to serve others out of unconditional love?

A much better place, I would suggest.

You can read the Bible's account of Jesus washing His disciples' feet in John's gospel, chapter 13, verses 1 to 17 .