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1 Corinthians 13:4-13
4 Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.

5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.

7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].

8 Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy ( the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].

9 For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect).

10 But when the complete and perfect (total) comes, the incomplete and imperfect will vanish away (become antiquated, void, and superseded).

11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.

12 For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been fully and clearly known and understood [by God].

13 And so faith, hope, love abide [faith — conviction and belief respecting man's relation to God and divine things; hope — joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love — true affection for God and man, growing out of God's love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.
AMP
 
by Rudi Swanepoel
Valentine's day is celebrated each February 14th with great romantic ceremony. Love blossoms in the hearts of significant others, spurred on by merchants ready to sell the perfect gift as an expression of your love to another. Where did Valentine's Day originate? Should Christians even participate?
Valentine's Day originated in ancient Rome. Emperor Claudius II banned all young men from getting married, convinced that single men make better soldiers. A priest by the name of Valentine defied the order of the Emperor and continued to perform marriages in secret. He was later discovered and executed around 270 AD. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. In February the people of ancient Rome celebrated a pagan festival and St. Valentine's Day would be a better alternative, much like churches would have Harvest festivals to provide for a wholesome alternative to Halloween.
Should Christians participate in Valentine's Day? There are a few things to consider. . . 
 
1. Our supreme quest - The Great Commission

We have no higher goal than to reach lost humanity with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that whosoever will believe in Him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) What an expression of love! What a tremendous gift to mankind!

 
As Believers we should focus on demonstrating this love of Jesus with the aid of the Holy Spirit. No tender heart can resist such a love. No hardened heart can remain so in the soaking presence of God's love. While the world exchange mere paper valentines in modest romantic overtures, let's exchange Christ's love to someone in a real, compassionate and determined way!  
 
2. A tremendous opportunity

February gives us a tremendous opportunity. Love is on the minds of many people. They plan and dedicate significant moments to plot romantic expressions of their love to a significant other. Why not allow the Holy Spirit to do the same in us? Allow Him to plan encounters to display, celebrate and demonstrate the true nature of God in us. Remember God is love! We can rise above a narrow-minded approach of mere dismissal and show the world a better way.

 

Priest Valentine recognized the importance the love between a man and a woman and of the sanctity of marriage. He knew that the highest expression of love between a man and woman is marriage. His strong convictions to do what's right eventually cost him his life. We can learn from him, especially in a time where the sanctity of marriage is once again under attack.

 
 
3. The true nature of love

Believers are the tangible expressions of God in this world. We're His agents, ambassadors and disciples. We used to sing a song: "Oh to be His hands extended, reaching out to the oppressed. Let me touch Him. Let me touch Jesus, so that others may know and be blessed." When Jesus walked on this earth, he was propelled by His love. He loved the Father so that He never did anything in and of himself. He loved lost humanity so that He gave His life for us by paying the price for our sin on the cross. The wages of sin, death (Romans 6:23) were satisfied and now we can have life abundantly in Christ Jesus.

 

As followers of Christ, our lives, words and actions should be governed by His love as well. Read 1 Corinthians 13. (Especially the verses I posted in the column to the right.)

 

Here is a shortlist of what love is not:

  •  is never envious

  • never boils over with jealousy

  • is not boastful or vainglorious

  • does not display itself haughtily

  • is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride)

  • it is not rude (unmannerly)

  • does not act unbecomingly

  • Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights

  • is not self-seeking

  • it is not touchy or fretful or resentful

  • it takes no account of the evil done to it

  • it does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness

  • Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].

 

Here is a shortlist of what love is:

  • Love endures long and is patient and kind
  • rejoices when right and truth prevail
  • Love bears up under anything and everything that comes
  • is ever ready to believe the best of every person
  • its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances
  • it endures everything [without weakening]
  • it abides
  • is greater than faith and hope
Personally, I see no harm in sharing your heart's love with someone special this month, even on February 14. But let it not be a once a year action. Be a sharer of God's love always. If you choose to avoid the commercialism and worldly lust that so often accompanies Valentine's Day, create your own celebrations of endearment. Your love should never be reduced to a gift or a card alone. It lasts longer than a day or two. True love never runs out! You will do well to display your love for God and for people. It might just grip someone's heart and draw them closer to the Lord!