Pocket Thoughts - 2/13/26
Special Valentine’s Weekend Edition
God is love.
*****
Remember Valentine’s Day in elementary school? Remember those decorated shoe boxes stuffed with Valentine cards purchased at the grocery store? Remember how hard you worked to print the names of each of your classmates on the envelopes? The list your teacher sent home the week before sure came in handy! On the big day, you delivered your Valentines. Homeroom moms showed up with red and pink frosted cupcakes and cookies and red punch. Everyone went home with a cardboard box full of cheesy poems and puns, cartoon characters, and if you were lucky, a lollipop or two. You had sugar and red dye, and you were happy.
At our high school, the French Club sold Love Buds. For the low, low price of $1, you could send your sweetheart or your secret crush a lovely carnation and a personal note. What bargain!
The older we got, the higher the stakes became. And those stakes came with higher price tags and way too much spin on the emotional roulette wheel – for gals and guys. Somewhere along the way – and long before the marketing gurus and the French Club stepped in – true love was hijacked.
In fact, long before social media, there was a snake in a garden. From living in perfect fellowship with a perfect God to shame, blame, and hiding, the lies of the enemy corrupted our concept of true love in a woefully distorted way.
Every effort to understand, give, and receive love fell short of God’s glorious standard so in His grace and kindness, He provided a visual. He sent His Son.
Jesus Christ came to live out the heart of the Father for all to see. He was a selfless servant and a sinless substitute Who rescued us from wrath rightfully deserved because of our transgressions. He redeemed us.
Not with flowers. Not with jewelry. Not with dinner reservations at an exclusive restaurant. He redeemed us with His blood. We love because He first loved us. Truly loved us. He personified 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a.
So how about we redeem this over-hyped, over-priced day? Let’s double down on loving our people – all our people – like Jesus does. Let’s make it all about the mailman, the kid across the street, and the grocery store clerk. Let’s make it all about our co-workers, our friends, and our family members. If you have someone special in your life, don’t necessarily spend the big bucks. Spend time and attention. Let’s take back what the enemy has stolen and truly love others. Let’s make it all about Jesus and how He loves.
*****
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails…” – 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
