Perhaps the two greatest (and most popular) scripture passages are John 3:16 and 1 Corinthians 13 – it’s no coincidence that they’re all about love – first, God is love and second, people love almost any topic about love. “God so loved the world…” (John 3:16) and “Love is…” (I Cor. 13:4) are perfect introductions that grab our attention.
It’s rare to see a professional sporting event go by in Canada or the U.S. without seeing someone in the crowd holding up a John 3:16 sign.
It’s rare to attend a wedding ceremony and not hear this famous passage from 1 Corinthians.
I saw it recently printed out as a wedding poem and mistakenly credited to the Corinthians – it wasn’t in a Christian context – but there was a passage of scripture, featured prominently in the ceremony.
We often remember the great Christian Saint Valentine during February; it’s a great holiday (read, holy-day) to observe as Christians. What better festival to join in than one that celebrates love?
As disciples of Jesus, we’re called to love in many different ways, according to the 1st Corinthian 13 passage. One of the ways we can love others is to be “always supportive” (1 Cor. 4:7).
So, in addition to celebrating Valentine’s Day on February 14, we can also remember the various special occasions that are meaningful to not just us, but to others as well.
We can support celebrations like the Lunar New Year, observed by many Asian cultures, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and some Koreans.
February is also Black History Month (BHM). It’s important to support the events around BHM as a way of loving members of the black community, celebrating the achievements of the black community, and remembering the mistakes and sins of the past (sins that Christians, churches, societies and governments made).
Considering the prevalence of modern-day slavery, observing BHM also helps us keep the evils of racism, oppression and slavery in our minds. The stories of the past & present should encourage us to seek justice for those involved in the various forms of present-day slavery and work to restore hope to those that have been oppressed by it.
Be motivated by the inspired words of the Apostle Paul who wrote, “Three things will last forever – faith, hope and love – and the greatest of these is love” (I Cor. 13:13).