“Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” Romans 12:9
This morning was a typical day for my wife and me. The alarm went off, we both got up, I poured my coffee… AND hers. She went to 1 room to spend her quiet time with God… I went to the other. After a few minutes I heard her holler… “Happy Valentine’s Day!” I repeated, “Happy Valentine’s Day,” then added, “I didn’t buy you a dang thing!” She responded with, “I didn’t buy you a dang thing either!” And THAT.. was our Valentine’s Day!
I abhor, regard with horror, hate, and detest Valentine’s Day! If you know me, you know that. If you don’t… you do now! I refuse to go into the history of this day because its origin is cloudy at best. Personally, I believe it was invented by an unhappy woman in a back room of Hallmark… or the lunch room of a candy or flower shop! The advertising world has implanted into the male brain..”dude.. don’t be a loser.. buy your gal something special today!” Women have been programmed to respond to the day with.. “What’d ya get me?” And I protest!
You may think me mad… but being a male, I don’t notice that WOMEN are pressed to do ANYTHING special for their men. Real men don’t swoon over a card, flowers or candy. What real men WANT is already known. But I don’t see an increased budget in advertising for ANYTHING in that arena. So let me be the Lone Ranger, since fair is fair… “Ladies…take special care of your man today!” I may deserve a medal for that from the men… or a lynching from the ladies. SO be it!
You may wonder why I am so ridiculously opposed to the idea of this day. Well it is actually very simple. If I TRULY LOVE my wife…and if she truly loves me… should LOVE not be displayed EVERY day! If you catch my drift, you would realize that loving Valentine’s Day is a sell out! If you do, you are settling for WAY too little and YOU have been conned!
We awoke, I honored her by pouring the coffee, we said, “I love you,” to each other and then we went to worship God individually… together! And THAT my friends.. is the MEANING and SECRET of a romantic and God centered relationship… because it is impossible to correctly LOVE each other without loving GOD FIRST! First… I am not worthy of it. And second…I don’t have the capability!
Today’s verse has many versions to it… both positive and negative. We are called to LOVE unfeigned, sincerely, without dissimulation, deceit or hypocrisy. We are THEN commanded to abhor, regard with horror, hate, and detest all EVIL. Finally we are to cling, cleave, hold onto and hold fast to everything GOOD! It sounds to me that those instructions are not directed toward a single day!
If your love relationships consists of yours and mine … you have a problem. God demands that we give EVERYTHING to HIM.. and to those we cherish. There is to be no ‘I, ME or MY’ in any relationship. It is ALL OURS! That is how God shares Himself with me… and that is what He expects from me in return. I refuse to simply BUY something because Hallmark wants to make a buck!
Happy Day to you and yours!
