Mark was insisting that he should purchase a gift for me for Valentine’s Day. I was just as insistent that he was not to purchase a gift. I have always felt sorry for him because my birthday is just two weeks following national Love Day. Why is February 14th “the day” to purchase gifts and tell those we love that we really do, beyond a shadow of a doubt, love them!
Late in the afternoon on Valentine’s Day, I was in the grocery store where numerous men were purchasing what was left of the cards, flowers, and candy. Many looked as if they had no earthly idea why they were there, but knew for certain, that they couldn’t show up that night with empty hands! I think if men were to be honest, they would tell us that they have no clue what to buy and wonder who in the world came up with this “holiday!”
I was reading in my Chronological Bible the day after Valentine’s Day. I found myself reading in 1 Corinthians, no coincidence! There was something about reading these verses just following the day set aside to show love to those closest to us that made it so convicting.
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
The verse that God used to pierce my heart was, “love does not behave rudely.” I felt such shame for the times when I have behaved rudely toward Mark. His condition makes his speech difficult to understand and his ability to quickly get around almost impossible. So many times, I have been rude in response to my inability to understand him in a moment when I needed him to be clear in what he was communicating. Then there have been the many times when we were running late and I was frustrated and responded rudely, yet he could not help his inability to move quickly. Oh, Lord forgive me!
God says, it doesn’t matter what we do if we are lacking love, our doing counts for nothing! How many times have I thought that it was my doing that mattered?
God desires that we have faith and exercise faith. He is our hope and places within us in the midst of dire circumstances, hope. Faith and hope are important, but nothing is as important as our possessing love! Unconditional love! He loved us so much that He gave His one and only Son. Now, that is love!
Father, I am so ashamed at my lack of unconditional love with those closest to me. Forgive me for the rudeness I have expressed toward the one I love, my mate. My heart desires to love like You love, Lord. Help me to bear out the fruit of the Spirit: love joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness and self-control. Help me to possess the greatest of these- LOVE.
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8