A Valentine's Day Challenge

    At Valentine’s Day you find “love” almost everywhere. Everything is decorated up with hearts, couples are planning romantic dates, ads for jewelry stores are on television telling you to “show her how much you care…”, you can pick up a rose and chocolates at just about any store, and children are exchanging valentines. But is any of this really celebrating what God intended as love? Can one show true love simply with a dozen roses, a box of chocolates, and a candle-light dinner? While these may be loving gestures, showing someone true love, the love God intends for us to have, isn’t something we can purchase in a store. It was already purchased for us by God. It was bought with the price of His only son being nailed to a cross to die for our sins. That makes a box of chocolates seem fairly insignificant doesn’t it?

    In order to give real love we need to understand what love is. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 tells us in detail what this kind of love is.


“Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant 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 does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but 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 circumstance, and it endures everything without weakening. Love never fails.”
The only way you can love someone is to love them in the way these verses tell us.

    You must be patient! The dictionary definition: enduring delay, annoyance, etc., without complaining. The “without complaining” one really gets me here. How often do we complain while we’re waiting on something to come to pass? Complaining while we’re waiting is not being patient.

    You also have to show kindness. We can do this in many ways. Acts of kindness such as: helping someone in need, listening to someone who is hurting, etc. Being kind in the way we speak to the person and the words in which we choose to use. Also, by considering how the other person feels.

    Are you being unselfish, putting their needs and wants above your own? If you look at the other acts of love, they all require unselfishness. Kindness, forgiveness, patience, etc.
You must forgive and keep no record of wrongs. Drop your expectations of that person, don’t set a standard that they must live up to and then turn it against them when they fall short. Many of do this unconsciously, we have it in our heads how we feel we should be treated and what we think others should do. When others don’t live up to our expectations, we then get angry or upset. This is not love! Make a conscience decision to drop your expectations. If someone hurts you, forgive them and let it go. I am aware how hard this can be at times but I also know that forgiveness is crucial in our love walk. Pray about it, ask for help if you need to and God will help you through it.

    Love bears up under anything and everything that comes. This means that if you and your loved one are going through some tough times in your lives or in your relationship that you don’t run. You don’t get to walk away, you don’t get to build walls around your heart, you don’t get to complain, etc. The definition of bear up is to face hardship bravely. So when hardships come, in which they will, you face them, you work it out and you get through.

    Love believes the best in every person. How hard is that one? Pretty self explanatory as well. Love keeps on hoping for the best in every circumstance. Love endures without weakening.

    Lastly , love never fails! If you are walking and acting in true Godly love, it will never fail!


    Read the verse over a few times and think about your Valentine or loved one. Are you showing them real love? Love is something that we have to choose to act out. It won’t always be easy but it will be rewarding. This Valentine’s Day, redefine your definition of love. Challenge yourself to show love the way God intended for it to be.