(Photo Courtesy of Google Images for Free Use)

Ditching the Anti-Valentine’s Day Parties

By Michelle Schonken

“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.”

– 1 John 4:12 (NIV)

Valentine’s Day has the amazing ability to fill many people with anticipation while filling a whole lot of other people with cynicism and depression. The determining factor of whether one might look forward to Valentine’s Day or not seems to be based on whether or not that person is single. Many, of course, fall in the singles’ boat. So, what were those in the singles’ boat supposed to do on the most romantic, pink-filled day of the year? Band together in protest against the day of love, of course! Thus the idea of the Anti-Valentine’s Day parties was born!

Here is the thing though, “love” isn’t the problem. It is really the reminder of loneliness that gets to us single girls and drives us to dreading or boycotting the day. But is romantic love really the only thing that banishes loneliness? Recently, I was reminded that in Greek there are four different words for the four forms of love:  Agape displays the unconditional love God has for us, eros represents a passionate, physical love, philia portrays the love shared by friends, and storge defines the love between parents and children. So… our one English word for love covers much more than romantic sentiments! And on Valentine’s Day we can celebrate the many facets of love and embrace the fact that we are loved by God and can give love to others!

So, while we are single, and waiting for the right man that God has for us, let’s honor God with our bodies, hearts, and thoughts by celebrating three out of the four types of love! How, you might wonder? Well, not by minimizing love or putting down those who have found their significant other. Instead, lets take the day to remind our family, friends, and God just how much we love them, and… celebrate that we can do that!

It can make the world of a difference when we put our hurt and loneliness aside, let God’s love in, and share that love with others. Suddenly, you won’t feel lonely on Valentine’s Day because you will be filling it with God and loved ones. Get creative! Perhaps bring your single gal friends together for a night of making Valentine crafts and decorating sugar cookies. Or, maybe, take out some of your single family members to a fun movie you’ve been wanting to see. You might even find that your church is having some fun events on Valentine’s Day that you can join in on or help out with.
So ditch the Anti-Valentine’s Day party this year, keep the black emo clothes tucked away in the closet, and celebrate love in the way God has given you opportunity to!