02/14/2023
So, today is Valentine's Day, and my wife is on the opposite side of the world. Not a romantic way to spend the day of the valentine, but I’m glad she gets to visit our son, daughter-in-law, and almost five-month-old grandson. I have a feeling she’s quite content with her Valentine’s Day celebration.
On this day of Hallmark ingenuity, I'm reminded of the story of a man and his wife, both sixty-five years old, who took a vacation to the Bahamas to celebrate their retirement. One day while walking on the beach, they found a lamp stuck in the sand. They picked it up, dusted it off, and “Whoosh!" Out popped a genie! "As a reward for releasing me from this bottle after being cooped up in here for 100 years, I will grant each of you one wish," the genie said. "Oh, this is wonderful!" the wife said. "My wish is to own a beautiful cabana by the ocean where we can spend the rest of our retirement." "Your wish is my command," said the genie. All of a sudden a beautiful oceanfront cabana appeared complete with waiters, palm trees, and buffet tables of gourmet food. "Okay, you're next," said the genie to the husband. The husband gazed at the young ladies on the beach, then looked at his own wife and blurted, "I want to be married to a wife thirty years younger!" "Your wish is my command," said the genie. Poof! Immediately he was ninety-five years old. Be careful what you wish for.
Whether you're single, married, divorced, or widowed, Valentine's Day can be a reminder of a much deeper love than what is often portrayed romantically in our culture. In fact, the origin of Valentine's Day had little to do with romantic love. Most historians believe that this day of celebration is associated with Saint Valentine who was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians who were persecuted under the Roman Empire. So, I guess there is some element of romance in Valentine's ministry of performing weddings, but the story continues. During his imprisonment, he is said to have prayed for the daughter of his jailer, Asterius, and she was healed. Legend states that before his execution he wrote "from your Valentine" as a farewell to her.
Whether that story is true or not, it is a reminder to us of what real love is all about. Saint Valentine demonstrated real love when he cared for prisoners, prayed for the sick, and performed the pastoral duty of the rite of marriage. Real love is about sacrifice, putting the needs of others before your own, and demonstrating intentional good will. Jesus has given us a new command--not a suggestion--that we are to "love one another." He said, "As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34-35). And how are we to demonstrate that love? As Jesus loved us when He gave up His life for us. Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).
That's quite a different kind of love than just having a warm, fuzzy feeling, or sending a little card, or even $50.00 worth of flowers. The love Jesus calls us to is the kind of love that stays up all night with a sick child or spouse, that cleans up after their messes, or, like Valentine, goes to the prisons to minister to the inmates. I want to grow in that kind of love, and I hope you do, too. Happy Valentine's Day. ❤️
