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Christianity love

Real Love Never Fails

Today is Valentine’s Day. It is a time when we celebrate love. Most likely, we think of romantic love. And I certainly am a fan of romance. However, romance can be fickle and temporary. Real love that never fails. What kind of love is that?

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5

A few years back, I wrote a post on five reasons kids need Valentine’s Day. In it, I wrote that kids need to see love in action. That is even more true in the last couple of years. Love had been hard to find in a pandemic. The kind of love the Apostle Paul writes about in 1 Corinthians 13 is hard to come by, but so desperately desired in this modern world.

Cartoon of a boy holding a valentine and a jaded girl

A World of Love

Just think what kind of world it would be if we rediscovered unconditional love. We would turn away from the selfishness that is killing us inside and begin to look at others as friends instead of enemies.

It would begin to melt fear because perfect love casts it out. I like one version of 1 John 4:18. “It says fear has torment.” How many of us are tormented in today’s world by fear? Could it be that the answer is to be made perfect in love?

The Courage of Love

It is a far cry from what the world prescribes for fear. Most advice we hear is to act angry and to be courageous. However, it is just as possible for love to bring courage instead of anger. We don’t have to act like jerks to eliminate fear. Courage brought on by love brings far less collateral damage than anger and aggression.

This day is named after a man who showed love to others even unto martyrdom. At the time of his death, most would have thought his sacrifice was meaningless. After all, just another Christian was executed. Yet, his courage that was brought on by love is a message for us today.

There is power in it because real love never fails.

Categories
children cartoons

Five reasons why kids need Saint Valentine’s Day

Cartoon of a boy holding a valentine and a jaded girl

Cartoon of a boy holding a poster with a heart on it and a jaded girl. The girl says, “Do you realize that heart isn’t anatomically correct?”

Saint Valentine’s Day can arouse some negative emotions, especially when people feel pressured to impress their loved one with extravagant gifts.

But if we treat Valentine’s Day right, it’s a great opportunity for kids to see love in action. Here are five reasons why kids need Valentine’s Day.

  1. Kids need to see love is far more than the physical attraction popular culture tries to make it out to be. Valentine’s Day may focus on the romantic side of love. But it can also be an opportunity to show selfless love (agapé), family/affection love (storge) or brotherly/friendship love (philia)
  2. Kids need to receive a note of encouragement. We all need to hear something positive about ourselves once in a while
  3. It’s an opportunity for kids to hear why love is so great (and challenging). Take the time to read 1 Corinthians 13 with your child.
  4. Kids need to see that love is more than a feeling but is  action.  We can love even the unlovely, the grumpy and those family members that get on our nerves!
  5. And kids need lots of candy hearts. Come on! Who doesn’t need candy hearts with corny sayings on them?

Valentine’s Day is a great reminder that love goes far beyond physical attraction and getting our selfish needs met. After all, when it comes down to it, we all need faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love.

 

 

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