Do you think that Messianic Believers should participate in Valentine’s Day?
There are many opinions one will encounter on the origins of Valentine’s Day, some of which involve the ancient Roman holiday of Lupercalia, as well as ancient Christian martyrs named Valentine.[1] Within today’s Messianic sphere of influence, there are those who consider Valentine’s Day to be of the same questionable origins as holidays such as Christmas and Easter—as well as those who consider Valentine’s Day to be utterly pagan, hedonistic, and debauched. At the same time, one will also encounter various persons within Messianic Judaism, who may be seen to remember Valentine’s Day, as a season for love and romance.
For many people today, Valentine’s Day is a day where one has to “perform,” and show love and affection to others, and much of this love and affection is fake and put on. The emphasis on “love” can be forced, and it is almost as if one is to love people this day, but every other day one can treat people with anything but love. Valentine’s Day is frequently a time when married couples find out how strong their marriages are, with many discovering that their commitments are not too deep, and very shallow. True love for one’s close family and friends—and especially one’s husband or wife—however, is to be demonstrated in action on a daily basis: through service, consistency, always being there when they treat you unfairly. As Yeshua taught, true love is ultimately manifested in the ability for His followers to lay down their lives for one another (John 15:13; 1 John 3:16). True love is demonstrated to others over long periods of time which never wavers, as opposed to just one day out of the year.
If as Messianic Believers we are feeling out of place on Valentine’s Day, we should read through 1 Corinthians 13, commonly considered the “love chapter” in the Bible. The Greek word used by Paul is agapē, which is a self-sacrificing Divine love which can only be produced through the Holy Spirit.
Scripturally speaking as Believers, we are called to love our fellow human beings wholeheartedly all the time. For those who do not celebrate Valentine’s Day, they should instead be committed to loving others every day. Yeshua said, “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12, NASU). If we want to be loved by others, we must love others in return. This is a love which will always be demonstrated by kindness, sincerity, acts of goodness and mercy, and always being there for people—regardless of what they do for, or even to, us.
NOTES
[1] For a useful summary, consult Susan E. Richardson, Holidays & Holy Days (Ann Arbor, MI: Vine Books, 2001), pp 35-38.
