February, The Love Month

     It is almost time to turn the pages of the calendar to a new month, one which represents love and romance.  On February 14th, women around the globe visualize red hearts and winged cupids.  Men are "expected" to remember their loved ones with romantic cards, vases of flowers, balloons, or boxes of chocolate coated candy,  to name a few.  If I had to guess, it was not a man who started this tradition.   The blame could possibly be placed on card companies.  If not them, they quickly jumped on the bandwagon to promote their sales.  Just last night Hallmark advertised on a commercial, "caring makes the world go round." 
     That is actually a true statement!  Caring and love does make the world go round.
      "Love is in the air."  "What the world needs now is love, sweet love."  These are all saying about love. 
     Yet, when I think of love, I think of my God and His Son, Jesus.  This is where love is truly centered. 
    1 John 4:8b  "...for God is love." 
     Jesus demonstrated the greatest love of all:    
    1 John 3:16, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his live for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters." 
    John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.
   

    1 Corinthians 13 is the chapter which enhances on what love is, and if we would all follow these guidelines in our daily lives, it would be greatest "box of chocolates" ever. 

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ³ If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
⁸ Love never fails...
¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.