Dinner reservations at your favorite restaurant, a card with all the right words, a dozen red roses, a box of chocolates truffles, a diamond necklace, tennis bracelet or earrings… And in some special cases a multifaceted diamond crowning a single band offered up on one knee. Yes, on Valentine’s Day we intentionally pull out all the stops to actively demonstrate our love. In fact, Valentine’s Day is the one day of the year that calls for us to be intentional about showing our love for our spouse. To say that a different way Valentine’s Day is the one day that we celebrate True Love. Yes, True Love. Not in the form of the gifts. It’s all about the intentionality. Valentine’s Day is the one day that calls on us to DO something to articulate love.
Love is a choice. Many people think of love as a noun. Love is actually a verb… in fact it’s an action verb. We must choose to love. Sure, in the euphoric, starry eyed early stages of love it slaps us upside the head without any effort. But in the nitty gritty everyday life of marriage Love takes work. But we shouldn’t be surprised. The work that Love requires is spelled out very clearly in the “official Love manual” – 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.
“Love is patient” (patience requires intentional work) “Love is kind” (being kind sometimes requires intentional work) “It does not envy” (intentional work required) “It does not boast” (intentional work required) “It is not proud” (intentional work required) “It does not dishonor others” (intentional work required) “It is not self-seeking” (intentional work required) “It is not easily angered” (intentional work required) "It keeps no record of wrong" (intentional work seriously required) "Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth" (more intentional work required) “It always protects” (work) “Always trusts” (work) “Always hopes” (work) “Always preservers” (work) “Love Never Fails”! (No work here… This Is All On God!)
You get the idea; Love takes intentional work. Wouldn’t it be great if we put in Valentine’s Day like work every day of the year?
Happy Valentine’s Day… Happy Intentional Love Day!
Michael Watkins Atlanta, GA