Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Unless you’ve been in a coma, you know that today is Valentine’s Day… a day when we are supposed to shower others with love in the form of cards than range from “mushy and gooey” to downright silly, flowers, balloons, candy – especially chocolate – and other gifts. More than $4 billion will be spent on jewelry alone, according to an article at www.forbes.com. Overall, this will be an $18.6 billion dollar event! People will propose marriage – and others will actually tie the knot.
Tomorrow, baskets and bins in retail outlets throughout the world will be filled with discounted leftovers. The price of fresh roses and other flowers will go down - and let’s be honest…people will not be as tender and loving toward one another. It’s as if this one day of the year wields some sort of magical power over most of us. If someone purchases one of these items today to share with a loved one, is the love any less genuine? Can your February 14th gestures of love convey how you feel about others for the rest of the year?
I do not mean to belittle Valentine’s Day. I love sending Valentines to my little nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. I enjoy making heart-shaped treats for them and imagining their little faces when they get a surprise in the mail or on their doorstep. Although we long ago agreed to stop exchanging gifts and cards, it gives me great joy to leave love notes for my husband, or to make him a special holiday breakfast… or to share a celebratory lunch or dinner. But sending gifts and cards is relatively easy. In The Purpose Driven Life, Pastor Rick Warren reminds us that …”If you only serve when it’s convenient, you’re not a real servant.” It would follow that if you only love on Valentine’s Day, you very well may be only pretending to love others.
The challenge for all of us is to look around and figure out who – and how – we can love 365 days a year. Where can we show others the love of Jesus with genuine words and acts of affection and honor? How can we step out of our comfort zone in order to be obedient disciples of Christ? Is the love of Jesus Christ (and grace, mercy and forgiveness that His love encompasses) so profound in our own lives that we are ready and willing to drop everything to share it with someone else? What is so important in our own lives that we don’t have time to love another in the name of Jesus… and why do we think this requires gifts, cards, candy, or jewelry?
Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to think about love. This is a great time to examine our hearts and find any corners where our expressions of love might be less than authentic. Ask God to show you where you love others conveniently or give lip service instead of genuine care and concern. Let Him show you how to love others every day of the year… to extend to them the grace, mercy, forgiveness and compassion that Jesus showers us with continually. Be a real servant and a true disciple. Make every day Valentine’s Day in Jesus’ name. Allow Jesus to use you for His glory… and get ready to be loved like mad in the bargain!
©2013 Debbie Robus
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