Valentine's Day and Jesus

Tis the season to celebrate love - at least according to Hallmark. For Christians and many other people of faith, God is love. Like Christmas, God has been all but removed from the Valentine's celebration. The holiday has been marketed as a celebration of romantic love with the emphasis on desire. However, when love is "true", it's defining feature is sacrifice not desire. Sacrificial love is the love of Jesus and the gospel. When we truly love somebody or even some thing, we express this through sacrifice. A mother gets up early to feed her child breakfast before school. A friend goes out of his way to check in with you even when he's very busy. A child works hard in school, sacrificing a certain amount of play time, in part, to show her love for a devoted parent. A dog lover gets up in the middle of the night to walk his dog. Martin Luther King sacrifices any semblance of a normal life in order to pursue a love for justice. Jesus Christ lays down his life for his friends - the ultimate expression of true love.

Desirous love is self-serving and self-gratifying. Sacrificial love blesses the other. We live in a world that celebrates desire and ridicules sacrifice. Remember God's love and sacrifice during this time of celebration. Amidst the flowers and the candy, pay homage to the One from whom love itself derives. Bring Christ back into Christmas and true love - the love of God- back into Valentine's Day.