Valentine Thoughts
By Muriel Robb
Valentine Day is all about love, love of husband and wife, love of boyfriend, love of girlfriend, love of your children and love of your parents. Love is in the air with music, candy and Valentine cards. We get all romantic and that good. We should show our appreciation, caring, admiration and love for our “someone.” It is great to have a special day to display our feeling. But what about every other day? Everyday should be a continual expression of your love. Take a quick inventory of your attitude. How do you treat, react to, and respect those you love. Do you sometimes find that they are an easy target for your anger? Are are you rude or courteous to your loved one? How about the tone of your voice? Do you use “gutter” language?
Do you say little mean things or abusive language and think you are being “cute?” Do you guard your mouth? Remember, it’s the little things that make a marriage, builds a family, relationships and make or break a friendship. Are you continually on the offensive, keeping a record of ills and grievances. Are you “thin skinned?” Does your actions, words and attitude jeopardize your testimony in front of your family or friends? They say the empty truck makes the loudest noise.
We all know folks like that. It seems they are continually looking for issues and “drama” and have trouble being a good friend. Proverbs 17:17 says “A friend loves you all the time, and a brother helps in time of trouble.” Are you this kind of friend, or are you prideful, boastful, and arrogant. If a friend offends you in some way, try to consider that it may not have been intentional and forgive and keep your friendship secure.
Remember in marriage and friendship – kindness is not weakness but shows inner strength. Often times we see marriages and friendships break up because of selfishness, carnality, bitterness, conflict and needless anger. People like this cause division in the church, in families and in friendships. They blow up, fly off the handle, are petty and childish. We all need to be more mature in our words and attitude. The Apostle Paul stated, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I stopped those childish ways,” 1 Corinthians 13:1. Romans 13:10 says “love worketh no ill to his neighbor.”
Are you aware that there are two types of tents: Content and discontent. If you know the Lord you will be in the content tent. If you know the Lord, really know the Lord you will speak well of one another not wanting to do harm to the church, your marriage or your friendship. It means a husband speaks well of and give praise to his wife. And the wife will speak well and give praise to her husband. The same goes for parents, children, family and friends.
A man or a woman who knows God intimately will have faith, be optimistic and have a testimony that will bring others to Him and our message. An optimistic person is one who guards their tongue and will live each day to it fullest, a person who knows love in the everyday “little things” that helps to build a successful and fulfilling marriage, family life and friendship.
When we think of love this Valentine Day lets not forget the author of love – our savior. He loved us enough to sacrifice His perfect life to forgive our sinful life that we might have not only eternal life with Him one day but also an abundant life in the here and now. What love!
He created us with the capability to love in the realm of marriage, love for a child and love and maturity in our friendships. Jesus Christ is the greatest example of love, he created us, sacrificed his life for us and shows mercy to us. Perhaps someday we will learn to trust him completely to guide our marriage, family and friendships. Perhaps we will once again learn to love him as he has loved us. Perhaps we will once again learn to love our people. Perhaps we will once again give him authority in our nation. Perhaps we will once again find rest for our souls.