February has some interesting distinctives. Back in the olden days (when I was growing up), we celebrated TWO presidential birthdays this month: Abraham Lincoln’s and George Washington’s.

Now we celebrate only one—a generic President’s Day for our Monday holiday benefit.

Another change from the olden days is the adaptation of Black History Month. Various notables of color from American history will show up in radio and television features, on billboards, and in added school curriculum. Generally speaking, this recognition offers much encouragement to a large part of our populace and educates many of us in important ways.

Having noted these two items, when you head to the greeting cards section in stores, what you are most likely to find are sweet, sometimes sappy, and often funny cards dealing with love.

Yes…St. Valentine is the Man of the Month. Cupid can show up anytime. Kissing becomes quite popular.

As it relates to this February tradition, much is kept from the olden days. Kids still hand out Valentine cards to teachers and fellow students. Heart shaped cakes, cookies, and candy abounds. Boyfriends and husbands spend “beaucoup bucks” on flowers, candy, and dinners for their love interest. And singles feel particularly abandoned in all this.

They are more likely to gather as The Lonely Hearts Club. If they actually feel alone.

There are several myths related to St. Valentine. I shan’t spend time exploring all this. The History Channel write-up includes this paragraph:

“Valentine was a popular name in ancient Rome, and there are at least 50 stories of different saints by that name. But Forbes said the earliest surviving accounts of the two February 14 Valentines, written starting in the 500s, have a whole lot in common. Both were said to have healed a child while imprisoned, leading to a household-wide religious conversion, and they were executed on the same day of the year and buried along the same highway.”

So, believe what you will.

People are enamored with the idea of love. Take love songs. From the time of the 12th-century European troubadours it’s estimated that more than 100 million love songs have been recorded. It covers the gamut. And if you ask 50 people which is the best love song, you may easily get as many answers.

We all have our favorites. (My wife Rhonda and I have always warmed up to “Annie’s Song” by John Denver.)

Men often prefer, “I’ll Have to Say I Love You in a Song” by songwriter and singer Jim Croce. A top ten from the 1970s, guys played it for their girlfriends when they were unable to cough up those words themselves! That’s also why many males choose Valentine’s Cards confessing their feelings. Talk about missing a “love language!”

As for the best romantic movies. The Notebook, Pride and Prejudice, and Casablanca are among the all time favorites. Rhonda and I always enjoy repeatedly watching The Princess Bride. (Love says, “As you wish.”)

Almost 54 years ago, a top theatre attraction was a film starring Ali MacGraw and Ryan O’Neal: Love Story. This one was a tear jerker as the two stars fall in love at college. A terminal illness ended their relationship and left theatre goers crying. (Ryan O’Neal passed away in 2023.)

A most memorable line came from that film, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” (This line was reprised in a most humorous way at the end of the film What’s Up Doc. Something about it being a rather dumb idea!)

The Christian faith offers the greatest love story of all! Two Bible passages are worth mentioning here. The first is found at the end of Romans 8. It reads,

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Vs. 38-39, ESV)

And then this…

“I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” (Eph. 3:16-19, NIV)

Once we appreciate God’s great love for us, we are compelled to live out a perfect Valentine’s message. Jesus’ words:

“Now I tell you to love each other, as I have loved you.” (John 15:12, CEV)

Go ahead. Say the words.