Valentine’s Day isn’t just one day a year to celebrate your romantic relationship with your significant other. To me, it is a day that represents what every day should look like: living each day with outward love like Jesus did. The Bible does not talk about the shallow love that marketers advertise, but rather real, genuine, self-sacrificing, grace-extending love. God wants every single one of us to exude this kind of love in all of our relationships.
Valentine’s Day can be a wonderful day to express your love for others. However, in today’s world, sometimes the expression of love is a bit backwards. Love might be described by what someone does for us, or maybe how they make us feel, or how they make our lives better. The Bible tells us that love is not about getting. Instead, it is about giving without expecting to get something in return.
This Valentine’s Day I would encourage you to not just express your love by giving a card, chocolate, flowers, or a ring. Of course you can make the day special, but focus more on making your relationships special throughout your life.
The ultimate act of love is this: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” John 15:13. This is exactly what Jesus did for us. Celebrate Valentine’s Day with your loved ones, but don’t stop when the day is over.
Here are some perfect Bible verses about love:
1 Corinthians 13: “Love is patient, love is kind, love is not jealous, it does not boast, it does not become conceited, it does not behave dishonorable, it is not selfish, it does not become angry, it does not keep a record of wrongs, it does not rejoice at unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends…& now these three things remain: faith, hope, & love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 John 4:16-18: “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, & God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear.”
Matthew 22:37-39: “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart & with all your soul & with all your mind.’ This is the first & greatest commandment. & the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'”
For me, I don’t have a significant other in my life at this time. But that’s okay!! This doesn’t mean that I’m going to complain about it or hate Valentine’s Day. Instead, I’m going to spend the day with my church family, sorority sisters, and best friends.
Reconcile your family relationships, strengthen your friendships, do whatever it is you need to do to show genuine love like Jesus did.
(If you, too, are single this Valentine’s Day, I encourage you to read my post “Truths About Being Single.”)
Loyally,
Lindsey
loyallylindsey.wordpress.com 