Celebrating the Day of True Love

Every February 14, some countries, including the United States, celebrate Valentine’s Day, also known as the Day of Love. It is customary for friends and sweethearts, classmates, and parents and children to exchange cards, and even chocolates and gifts.

We have all spent some time philosophizing with others about what love is. Few words are so difficult to define. And few words are so abused. Some people declare that they love when, in reality, they merely feel a superficial attachment or an infatuation with another person. Others say they love their dog, their car, and even their favorite chewing gum.

If you asked 10 of your friends to define the word “love,” you would surely hear 10 completely different answers. Some definitions would be superficial and banal. Others would be unrealistic and mystical. And still others might be profound and substantial. The reality is that each of us has our own definition of what love consists of.

The concept of love has been studied by theologians, philosophers, psychologists, and sociologists. Although each researcher develops his or her own theory, they all agree that the concept of love has evolved throughout history. They also share the perception that love is greatly influenced by cultural background and individual experiences.

But could it be true that a concept so universal, so intimately connected to every relational aspect of human experience from birth to death, is subject to the ebb and flow of history and culture? That does not seem possible to me.

I recognize that the outward manifestations of love may vary according to the era and culture, but the essence of love remains unchanged throughout the centuries. Love is not a human invention but an exquisite gift from God to His creatures. As a disciple of Christ, I know that “God is love” (1 John 4:8). I also know that from the beginning of Scripture, God condensed His Law into: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength (Deuteronomy 6:5); and you shall love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18). The love of which the Bible speaks is not the easy, conditional love the world sings about.

How do you define love: according to the world’s fleeting concepts or according to the eternal concepts expressed by God? If you live according to a superficial concept of love, you will likewise love superficially. If you determine to embrace and live day after day according to the concept of love that God establishes in His Word, you will be challenged to love at new heights and levels of maturity. Do not settle for the cheap version. Proactively seek to love according to Christ’s standard.

The Bible contains a great number of passages that address the subject of love from the perspective of the One who “loves us with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3). One of these is found in 1 Corinthians 13:4–7. I challenge you to read it slowly and use it to examine your own way of loving.

Love is patient and kind;

Love does not envy,

Love does not boast and is not proud;

It does not behave improperly and does not seek its own interests,

It is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs;

It does not rejoice in injustice, but rejoices in the truth.

It bears all things and believes all things,

It hopes all things and endures all things.

Love never fails.

When I evaluate the quality of my way of loving in light of this passage, I have to acknowledge that I still have a long way to go. But that reality does not discourage me. On the contrary, it encourages me to receive with greater gratitude the perfect love that the Father pours out upon this imperfect daughter. It also challenges me to express true love to everyone who accompanies me on this journey we call life. How about also inviting God to be the One who defines and shapes your way of loving?

Prayer

Thank You, my God, for Your tender and undeserved love. May I love You as You deserve. May I honor You by naturally showing my neighbor Your supernatural love.