Happy Valentine’s—to all who feel a little left out on Valentine’s Day as well as all who have a sweetheart to share your heart with. It’s good for couples to be reminded to be sweet, kind, and loving to each other. After all, in most marriages, the honeymoon wears off entirely too quickly, such that niceties like chocolate, roses, and nights out are forgotten.

A large portion of our population does not have a special someone to share love with on this day, but I don’t believe that should keep anyone from taking advantage of a day of love.

The history of Valentine’s Day is uncertain because legends abound concerning its origin. However, we do know that it was not originally a day to celebrate romantic love or the giving of cards and gifts. So, why not stick with the theme of love and adapt it for our own personal celebration?

Since we all need to be loved, and Jesus told us to love one another (John 13:34), we can all use the day to express love to others—to close friends, or to not-so-close acquaintances who need to know they’re loved. I know someone who is having a small  anonymous gift sent to all her co-workers, with a note “You are loved and appreciated.” She’s sending herself one too in order to remain hidden as the giver.

Another option is to focus on the One who loves us most, meditating on what it means to be loved by the King of kings and Lord of lords. We could even take the time to write a love letter to Jesus, telling Him how much His love means to us, and how much we love Him in return. How often do you tell Jesus you love Him?

I can’t help you with those ideas, but one thing I do every Valentine’s Day is remind myself what it means to love others. I’m so self-focused that I tend to excuse myself from some of the points that make up true love. I need to remind myself—at least once a year—what it really means to love.

In just four short verses in 1 Corinthians 13, God told us what love, real love, looks like. And it’s not chocolates, roses, or even steak on the town. Neither is it just for sweethearts.

Love

• suffers long (is patient) and is kind;
• does not envy (is not jealous);
• does not brag (parade itself),
• is not arrogant (puffed up) (v. 4)
• does not behave rudely (unbecomingly/dishonoring to others),
• does not seek its own (is not self-seeking, doesn’t demand it’s own way)
• is not provoked (resentful, easily angered)
• thinks no evil (doesn’t take into account a wrong suffered, keeps no record of wrongs); (v. 5)
• does not rejoice in iniquity (wrong doing, in evil, in unrighteousness), but rejoices in the truth; (v. 6)
• bears all things (always protects),
• believes all things (always trusts),
• hopes all things (always hopes),
• endures all things (always perseveres). (v. 7)
• Love never fails. (v. 8) (1 Cor. 13:4-8)

I’m blessed with a valentine that is “a keeper,” as they say. I’m truly blessed by my husband. However, I’m thinking he’d be more blessed if my love more closely fit God’s definition of love than Robert will be by a from-the-heart card and a steak dinner by candlelight. What do you think?

Furthermore, if I can die to self enough to have this kind of love for other people, it will be a blessing for the rest of my family, as well as my neighbors, brothers and sisters at church, and those I meet on the street or I seek to serve.

The best outcome of having God’s love is that through my life, the Lord would be glorified. That is worth celebrating, and is certainly a never-failing love.