No Loss of Heart on Valentine’s Day!
February 13, 2021
Even though the pandemic has disrupted many aspects of daily life, many people are still committed to celebrating Valentine’s day and it is estimated that $21.8 billion will still be spent on observing it in 2021 (National Retail Federation). Second to giving candy as a gift, greeting cards will make up a good portion of this spending, and may require we know how best to sign those cards!
Unlike our school days, when we wrote out valentines for everyone in our class and simply signed our name to the card, our “out-of-school days” have shortened our valentine list and required we do more than sign our name on a card. Now, we may feel the necessity to write a meaningful personal message. If so, and if we are at a loss for words, many websites, including Hallmark, have come to the rescue. These websites offer up inspiration for the perfect loving words to add when signing a valentine. Since roughly 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged each year (American Greeting Card Association), we may need to heed their sage advice.
Even international business sites consider it serious business to say the right thing! One site I visited categorized their suggestions into 3 areas: romantic, funny, and inspirational:
“Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.” –William Shakespeare
“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” -Charles Schulz
“Love doesn’t make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.” – Franklin P. Jones
However, if we were to search God’s Word for the right way to express love to one another, we would find one straightforward, categorical command:
“Let love be genuine…” – Romans 12:9a
Our love for one another should look like God’s love for us. It should be genuine, without hypocrisy, without acting a part, without deceit and without masks. It should be true, authentic, real and both outwardly and inwardly sincere and righteous and with a box of real chocolates on the side!
Speaking of Valentine’s Day, I am reminded of two great love stories! First, I think of my parents who have been exchanging valentines for 73 years as of February 8, 2021. They have had many years to perfect their words of expression of love to one another.
The second love story, and truly the greatest one is the one found in God’s love letter to the world.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16
What God’s love did for us, by giving His only Son, is priceless and does not factor into the 21.8 billion spent on February 14! Instead of running out to buy the perfect greeting card, or contributing to the spike of rose prices this Valentine’s Day, why not believe in Jesus? The spikes in the hands of Jesus, the Rose of Sharon, paid the penalty for our sins so that we can enjoy eternal life in Heaven. Jesus is the perfect Word and His finished work on the cross provided an everlasting love for all who believe! Truly and forever!