Valentine’s Day: What It Should Mean to Christians
Valentine’s Day.
Most people either love it or hate it. So what should it mean to people who love Jesus?
Valentine’s Day–much like Santa at Christmas–began in legend with ties to a saint from early Christianity.
Also like Santa and Christmas, Valentine’s Day has morphed into something completely different over time, leaving us where we are today with giving cards and candy and swimming in an almost nauseating sea of sentimentalism.
Still, there is nothing wrong with celebrating love. In fact, for Christ-followers, love should be a big deal.
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
—1 John 4:7-8
A question worth asking
Particularly on a day when the whole world seems to be celebrating love, the question we ought to ask ourselves is this—“What love is our culture actually celebrating?”
In other words, our world loves Valentine’s Day, but does it really love love?
In biblical terms, love always costs the giver something. Love—seen as generosity—isn’t giving away something we’ll never miss. The principle evidence of Christlike love is personal sacrifice.
In the death of Jesus, we see the deepest and clearest declaration of love ever shown to mankind. That is, God through Christ met our deepest need at great personal cost without any opportunity for repayment from us.
And so this love should compel us to love the way Christ loves us … to take a day like Valentine’s Day a step further than our non-believing culture.
We love because He first loved us.
—1 John 4:19
An invitation worth considering
Here at Lifesong, we believe God calls us to care for orphans and those who cannot care for themselves. We also believe we are all called to serve others. When it comes to family preservation and orphan care, nothing is more impactful than child sponsorship.
During this month of love, we urge you to take Valentine’s Day a step further and show love to orphaned and vulnerable children who desperately need the love of Christ. When you sponsor a child through Lifesong, you can be sure that the child’s basic needs—food, clothing, and education—are met, but even more importantly, you ensure that your sponsored child will be regularly taught the Gospel.
As always, all of Lifesong administrative costs are already covered, meaning 100% of received donations will directly help children in need.
This Valentine’s Day season, would you give your heart to a child in need?
