Seeds of Love: The beauty of love

To many, Valentine's Day serves as a reminder to express one's love to that special person in their life.

I've heard of a unique Valentine's Day tradition that arose in Wales.

A young man, wanting to declare his love and announce his marital intentions, gave his beloved a spoon decorated with a key. The key represented, "the key to the man's heart" announcing to his lady that his heart was full of love for her.
It was an invitation for her to unlock his heart so that his love could flow freely to her.

What a beautiful way of showing one's love for another!

I'm sure many of us have our own story of the one who came alongside and unlocked our heart's door, perhaps becoming our life-long lover.

Did you know Valentine's Day began in a church?

An annual church service and festive banquet first began in celebration of the life, ministry and death of St. Valentinus of Rome.

Valentinus, a Christian pastor, was arrested and accused of performing marriages for Roman soldiers and their brides, and for practicing the Christian faith. Both, at that time, were forbidden under the Roman law. He was convicted and sentenced to death.

In prison, he performed a miracle in Jesus' name, healing the daughter of his jailor, a Roman official named Asterius. Before his death, Valentinus wrote a letter as a farewell to the girl, encouraging her in her faith, signing it "your Valentine."

Thanks to the influence of poets like, Geoffrey Chaucer, Valentine's Day became associated with romantic love, or sexual attraction. The Greeks use the word 'eros' for such love. The word 'phileo' is used for warm affection and friendship. "Agape," the highest form of love — the love of God, which is love that does not depend on being reciprocated, or expecting anything in return is the kind offered to us through His Son.

As we celebrate the beauty of love towards each other, we remember the author of love, giving the greatest love gift ever — "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

One of the most beautiful pieces of literature ever written about love is found in the New Testament.

It says, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, 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 trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

— Corinthians 13: 4-8