I am
convinced that Valentine’s Day was invented by the card and candy companies for
the sole purpose of boosting sales. Yes, I know, it began as a much different
kind of celebration, but it has evolved into a day when, if you don’t do
something special for the one you love, you’ll pay the price until the next
opportunity to make amends.
Of course, we all understand (at least I
hope we understand) that we need to be very free with our reminders of love and
affection. But there is a standard applied by the Bible to the concept of love
that needs some particular attention. That standard is stated in various places
but best summarized with, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must
love one another” (Jn 13:34). In another place he said, “Greater love has no
one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13).
Through the years I’ve heard those passages
preached in a lot of different ways. Many times the one teaching tries hard to
“soften” the Scripture by detailing all the ways we can “lay down our life”
without actually dying. But a search of the language used by John doesn’t give
us a whole lot of options. We are called, by the standard our Lord set, to be
willing to die so that others can live.
Jesus acknowledged that was an easy task
when thinking about people we truly love. But then he added this requirement:
“But love your enemies, do good to them…” (Lk 6:35). That seems like an
impossible task. After all, those folks are our “enemies” for a reason. But the
truth is, in order to fulfill the command to love AS he loved us, we
must reach out in love to those who are disgusting to us. Remember, “God
demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ
died for us” (Ro 5:8). You ARE loved! (Dan Boggs)
