Thoughts About Valentine's Day

Today is the 13th day of February and a lot of us are really concerned about being sure we make expressions of love tomorrow to those that matter the most. I guess I'm something of a Grinch in that regard, because I believe Valentine's Day has come to be almost as commercially driven as Christmas over the past few years. On the one hand I hate to give in to the commercial pressure, but on the other hand, I hate for those I love to feel cheated or embarrassed if I don't provide them with some Valentine's Day proof of my love. What if someone were to ask my wife what I got her for Valentine's Day and she said, "Nothing.?" Wouldn't that be humiliating?

Actually, I kinda believe that we ought to be demonstrating our love to those dearest to us on a regular basis, and without the prompting of some created holiday. I think it's okay to give my wife flowers or to surprise her with candy, or to take her to dinner any day of the year. I wonder if that teddy bear company would deliver something squeezable to her in the middle of the summer?

While love is in the air, (and while I'm on my soapbox), wouldn't this be a good week to express the love of Jesus to a neighbor or friend or coworker? Why not make them a Valentine that contains a passage of Scripture or an invitation to join you at a devotional or at worship? Be creative. There are lots of ways to plant a seed of love that might grow in their hearts.

Happy Valentine's Day!