Pressure to be romantic on V-day
Valentine’s Day is easily one of the most interesting holidays we as American’s celebrate. Interesting in that I don’t know of another holiday that brings out such a mixed set of emotions in people as Valentine’s Day does. In my 24 years of life I’ve never once heard someone talk about how much they hate the 4th of July or Columbus Day and how they wish they could just skip it and not think about it. Yet year in and year out without fail I continually hear people, both male and female talk about their distaste for this seemingly pointless holiday in the middle of February. For many this day brings on overwhelming feelings of loneliness and isolation, while in others that may be in a relationship it comes with sky high expectations of just how romantic and breathtaking that 24 hour period will be.
The sad thing is that Valentine’s Day is the only day of the year that some people will feel loved, cherished and appreciated. They long for that day with great anticipation of the physical and verbal affirmation that will hopefully hold them over for the next 365 days. However this is not how God intended it to be at all. He desired that His children know beyond the shadow of a doubt every single day of their life that they are passionately and relentlessly loved and cherished even beyond imagination. Within this simple truth lies the key to dealing with incredible pressure to be overly romantic on this day.
Guys, like it or not most of this responsibility falls on you, regardless of whether you are in a relationship, married or single. Time and time again the Bible reminds us of the special call and mandate that God has put on men to lead. He has called us to lead in the family, the relationship and on the job. You can look across society today and see a plethora of problems that have stemmed from men refusing to take that lead role and in turn forcing females to step into a role that God did not design them for.
Guys, it is part of our job to treat every female on earth with the same love, kindness and honor that Jesus would. We are called to stand up and protect their purity, even when they choose not to protect it themselves. Timothy tells us that we are to exhort the younger women as sisters and honor and treat them accordingly. Girls need to feel secure around you, knowing that you are not looking forward to taking advantage of them as soon as the opportunity comes. Regardless of their choices or lifestyle, females are a gift and child of God and our conduct towards them should remind them of that every single day. When we treat women and particularly the girl we are in a relationship with like a queen every single day, February 14 will just become another random day on the calendar.
Girls, this does not however take all the responsibility off of you. The Word of God continually encourages us as people to find our identity in Christ alone. People’s opinions were simply meant to supplement what God’s opinion of us is. You shouldn’t need to survive off a guy telling you you’re beautiful every day because of the confident assurance you have in knowing the Creator of the world says you are in a never ending state of beauty. A guy was never designed to be your Jesus, and when you find yourself complete in Christ, then any guy that comes into your life can simply be what God has called him to be rather than what you want him to be.
Pressure on Valentine’s Day can ruin relationships and bring unrealistic expectations that will never be met. But when we as Christians simply find our identity in Christ alone and choose to love and treat ALL people with the same respect and honor He did, we will no longer need a special day to confirm what was said about us before the foundations of the world were laid.
Psalms 139:14- I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.