We Love To Love

Numerous early Christian Martyrs were named Valentine. Which one was actually the hero of Valentine’s day we can’t be sure. There was a Saint Valentine who was persecuted as a Christian by the Roman Emperor, Claudius. He was impressed by Valentine and had a discussion with him, attempting to get him to convert to Roman paganism in order to save his life. Valentine refused and because of this, he was executed. Before his execution, he is reported to have performed a miracle by healing the blind daughter of his jailer.

There is an additional embellishment to the story. On the evening before Valentine was to be executed he was said to have written the first “valentine” card himself, addressed to a young girl identified as the jailer’s daughter whom he had befriended and healed. It was a note that read “From your Valentine.” So February 14th now becomes our annual celebration of love! There will be bouquets of red roses, heart shaped boxes of candy, beautiful sentimental cards and if lucky….perhaps a diamond necklace!!

The Bible has many references to love and lovers. How about Samson and Delilah or David and Bathsheba? The most powerful of the love words is “agape love.” This is the love of God and Christ for mankind. In the New Testament it refers to the fatherly love of God for humans, as well as the human reciprocal love for God. John 3:16 says, ”For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Philia.…is another word which means an affection that could denote friendship, brotherhood or non-sexual affection. In 1 John 3:11, “For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.” This is really an extension of the agape love. Jesus was asked, “which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (Matthew 22:36 NIV). Jesus replied,  “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments’” (Matthew 22:37-40; cf.  Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18).

Then there is “eros love.” This type of love is an affection of a sexual nature. I think we all understand that one. It can also mean worldly desires of any kind be it wealth or fame. With internet pornography, sexual lust has now become a business venture. We use the word “love” as an equivalent “to like or desire.” Such as….“I simply love that dress, or I would love to go out to dinner!” We love to use the word “love.”

All of these “love” desires were given to mankind at creation. We were also given freedom of choice to use these “loves” wisely. Love is part of the human spirit. It is God’s gift to us. Since man is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), we know that God himself is Love (1 John 4:8,16). He is the highest and greatest form of Love. Can we do anything less than love the very One who gave us His Love? This is why we love to Love. —Barbara Hyland

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets