Lynn Jones: The need for genuine love
By Lynn Jones
The following item appeared in the New York Times shortly before Valentine’s Day one year: “The scene is a card store in Bronxville, New York. The time: a week or so before Valentine’s Day. The cast, a couple, apparently married. They are examining valentines. After making their selections, they exchange and read the cards. After reading the card presented to him, the husband says, “It’s really beautiful. Thanks.” After reading her card, she says, “How very thoughtful, thank you, dear.” They wish each other Happy Valentine’s Day, embrace, return the cards to the rack, and walk out.”
I have been trying to get up my nerve to suggest to my wife that we do something similar, but so far, my courage has failed me. I have thought of suggesting the practical and frugal nature of such an exchange of cards, but I am afraid that it might not come across that way. Somehow, the words “cheap,” and “chintzy” keep popping into my mind. Where love is involved, some sacrifice is required. Love is always costly.
There is a hunger for genuine love in our lives. In the “Peanuts” cartoon strip, Lucy has always had a big time crush on Schroeder. The problem is that Schroeder is immersed in his piano-playing and won’t give Lucy the time of day. She, however, refuses to give up. One day Lucy approached Schroeder as he was playing his little piano and said, “Guess what, Schroeder? If you don’t stop playing that stupid piano right now and show me that you love me, you know what I’m going to do? I’m going to hold my breath until I pass out!”
Schroeder looked up from his piano and said, “Breath-holding in children is an interesting phenomenon. It could indicate a metabolic disorder. A forty-milligram dose of Vitamin B6 twice a day might be helpful. I think that’s probably it. You need Vitamin B6. You might also consider eating more bananas, avocados, and beef liver.” As Schroeder went back to playing his piano, Lucy looked into the distance, sighed, and said, “I ask for love, and all I get is beef liver.”
That would be a big letdown. Nothing but genuine love satisfies the deep longings that all of us have within us. Valentine’s Day is a good excuse to tell some people that you love them. It is a reminder of the centrality of our need for love.
It also is a time to reflect on the greatest love that has been bestowed upon us. “Herein is love. Not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:10). “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him, might not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Lynn Jones is a retired pastor who lives in Oxford. He does supply preaching for churches in his area and often serves as an interim pastor. Jones is also an author, has written two books and writes a weekly newspaper column. He may be contacted at: kljones45@yahoo.com.
