Valentine's Day....

Valentine's Day. A holiday of LOVE all about LOVE wouldn't you say? The one day where everyone gets all mushy gushy and ishy squishy valentines from certain people, and boyfriends feel obligated to get their girlfriends chocolate, flowers, cheesy cards, or even bring them out on a fancy date to their favorite restaurant. Now, this holiday sometimes makes me cringe, walking down the hallway at school and seeing all these people PDAing in the hallways, and all that jazz that comes with Valentine's Day. I used to love this holiday back in elementary school, having parties and getting a whole bunch of candy from your classmate, but that totally changes when you get into middle and into high school.
This holiday to me is one of the most over commercialized, over hyped holidays that we have here in America. My personal thinking behind this is that shouldn't we as followers of Christ love our fellow man as ourselves everyday. Aren't we called to do this? To spread God's everlasting AGAPE love to everyone and last person we see?
It tells us this in John 13:34-35...."A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" That verse speaks to every each one of us, saying that we should love each other as much as He the LORD has loved us. Now I know that this is maybe one of the hardest things for us as followers of Christ to do, but when we Love each other and respect one another we are spreading God's AGAPE love. There's that AGAPE again, some may not know what that is so here is a short definition. AGAPE is the love that we spread from each other to one another, not romantic love, or a light hearted "Bro.....I love you man." It is a whole hearted love that we have and spread throughout our communities and to our families.
So think of Valentine's Day and the happiness people have when they get a surprise bundle of roses or go on a fancy dancy date. Wouldn't our relationships with God, and with others around us be better if we treated all with the up most AGAPE love and respect? I myself am going to go forth and treat everyday like Valentine's Day, not handing out cheesy cards everyday, but showing love and respect to my family, my friends, my enemies, my peers, and to my God.