February is the month of love. At least that’s what the greeting cards say. In 2024, the Valentine’s Day industry was expected to reach around 26 billion dollars. That is a lot of flowers and candy. It’s America’s 9th favorite day of the year. But did you know Valentine’s Day has Christian roots?
The Feast of St. Valentine is a celebration that takes place on February 14th. It was originally a Christian feast that honored Valentine, a 3rd century clergyman, who ministered to persecuted Christians. Valentine was arrested and later martyred. His body was buried on the Via Flaminia on February 14th.
Sometime in the 14th and 15th centuries, the feast turned into a celebration of love between two people. That is when the rise of courtly love took place. Courtly love emphasized nobility and chivalry. In other words, show me how much you love me. It’s where we get the idea of knights going on adventures to earn their ladies love. For us today, men don’t have to slay dragons, just fight the lines at the flower shops and gift stores.
Love is the main theme throughout the Bible. The word appears in some form over 500 times. Loving your family, thou shall honor thy mother and father, to loving your neighbor, as thyself, it’s all about love. That is because God is love. It is who He is, His inner being, His essence.
We are also supposed to be about love. “Let all that you do be done in love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:14. Everything. Every action and word should be wrapped up in love. I know. It’s hard. But that is who we are supposed to be, reflecting the light and love of God.
What we do is reflective on the church, the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and God. Either we are reflecting something that is loving, which attracts people to Jesus or we are reflecting something that pushes them away.
Make loving others a part of your character, your inner being, your essence. Together, by showing the love of God, we might see some become saved.
- Pastor Glen
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