The Value of Love

Available for 25 days

Good morning Tomorrow is St Valentine’s Day which means, whether it is true or not, people will be worrying that the cost of flowers, chocolates and tables at their favourite restaurant will be inflated for the next few days, before returning back to normal after the weekend. If such fluctuations really happen, then perhaps it is no more than supply and demand, but they might also serve as a reminder that when it comes to love, the best things in life might well be free. That’s not to be unrealistically sentimental in the face of life’s realities, where most things do come with a price-tag and usually cost more than they did before. Nor is it to be insensitive to the anxieties of loneliness that Valentines Day can bring. But in the difficult economics of family budgets to suggest that all is well, just as long as we can sit with someone underneath the moon, can feel less than helpful. I mean it’s all very well for Jesus to say, ‘just look at the flowers in the field; they don’t sow or reap or fill up their barns, and yet God takes care of them.’ But what if my credit card is maxed, and I haven’t bought a card. To which Jesus might well reply, ‘Well we didn’t have St Valentine’s Day, when I was on the earth, but nonetheless, I had to pay my way’. Perhaps the secret to finding joy in life is not to let those anxieties define who we are and can become. We’re all more precious than anything that can be simply bought or sold. The things of lasting value, the things that really show our love, are our families and friendships and the chances that we have to help those who are struggling with the many different costs of life. Dear God of love and life Help us this day to value The richness of who we are And how we love And show us how to share that with those who need it most. Amen.