The True Heart of Valentines Day

I saw a post on facebook where someone said Valentines Day is a fake holiday and he hates it. I wondered if his response was so strong because he has no one who fits the description of any heart filled card, no one to gift with just the right piece of  jewelry or box of chocolate delights. Perhaps I should have responded to my brother in Christ.  The wide spread celebration of Valentines Day  has more to do with card manufacturers and other retailers seeking to line their pockets than it has to do with St. V.'s noble acts. The holiday is often propelled by a desire for mutual sexual gratification, and an overwhelming love of "love". What disguises itself as love bears little resemblance to the real thing.

One of the latest reality t.v. shows focuses on a couple where the woman has an over the top idea of a dream wedding. The themes of the weddings are things like The Wizard of Oz, The Phantom of the Opera, pirates, the Monopoly Game, and belly dancing.  The wedding planner was able to develop in a tasteful, elegant way even the tackiest idea that a bride could envision. Although the groom is mentioned occasionally on the show and he does appear at the proper time, the bride is the center of everything. Her preferences must be honored if at all possible. How does any couple succeed when the most memorable day of their lives is the pinnacle of the pampering of one half of the couple? How can such a couple transition  to a marriage where each person gives selflessly to the other?

My granddaughter Grace, recently turned 5 has started to play the Sorry Game with her dad. After watching the show where the bride's dream wedding had the theme the Monopoly Game, I left with Grace, her mom and baby brother to run some errands. At an unexpected moment Grace declared  "When I grow up and find a guy I'm going to get that man from the show to help with my wedding. My theme for my wedding will be the Sorry Game."

Her mother and I laughed. The Sorry Game as a wedding theme sounded very strange. The word sorry is such a negative word to use for such a positive day. It wasn't until later I realized the truth. If a couple can start their marriage using such simple words like "I'm sorry.", they have an understanding of a truth far more valuable than a designer wedding gown, gourmet reception food, or a deluxe honeymoon package. Real love understands sin and seeks to deal with it. "It's all about me." should never be the theme of a marriage.

Back to my friend who hates Valentines Day. It's okay to hate the pseudo love that is often the focus of Valentines Day, that shouts in a myriad of ways "It's all about me." Please always remember what we can rejoice in at the same time. Instead of leaving us completely alone and letting us be as self centered as we could be, many people can demonstrate amazing selfless love by the grace of God. Loving each other in often quiet daily ways is hard.  We can not really know love unless we look to the one who loves best.

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His son to be the propitiation for our sins.
I John 4:9, 10

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