Fixing Valentine’s Day

I have an idea for how to make Valentine’s Day a lot better. The problem is, I don’t think anyone will be interested.

What got me thinking is those little Sweathearts brand candies. You know, the pastel hearts with pithy messages in all caps—BE MINE, LOVE YOU, HUG ME, XOXO, and my favorite…CUTIE PIE. All good fun.

But recently I memorized 1 Corinthians 13—the love chapter—and have been saying it aloud on my nightly walks. It moves and challenges me every time I say it. So, I thought…Hey, what if they took phrases from 1 Corinthians 13 and put them on heart candies. Great idea, right?

Imagine if you got one that said: BE PATIENT or BE KIND or NO ENVY. See if you can pick out other love messages from the passage:

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

(1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

The one I struggle with is, “…it keeps no record of wrongs.” And I don’t mean compressing it into a pithy phrase; I mean actually doing it!

OK, maybe it’s not such a great candy idea. So, here’s a better idea. Sometime this week, read 1 Corinthians 13 and ask God to help you... LIVE IT OUT.