I See Red… Again
“twas the night before Valentine’s and all through the house…” i googled this phrase before continuing any furthur and apparently there are several versions of this poem that ripped off the Christmas original. oh well… i figured that i’d be a little creative but somebody beat me to it. i probably would do a version myself but since i got about eight minutes left till Valentine’s, i guess i’ll rehash something i wrote four years ago. enjoy!
I SEE RED (2002.02.12)
I know that lately the marketing gurus, the flower industry, and the Hallmark corporation has been pulling out all the stops to remind us to be extra special towards the significant other. It seems like you see red in every other store you walk into. Hearts. Cute stuff animals. Candy. Roses. Ad nauseam. The dinner. The romance. The extensive plans to express the love shared. A walk. A view. A serenade. A gesture. Ad nauseam. Ad nauseam. Ad nauseam.
Ok. I might sound like a bitter person who is alone once again on 2/14. And if you think that I am going to insert 1 Corinthians 13 in this email to reference what true love is all about, you are right. I am. But one thing I am not going to do is be bitter. I’m actually pretty happy. So before I go on, let me insert the Word here…
1 CORINTHIANS 13 – NEW LIVING TRANSLATION
If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth but didn’t love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn’t love others, what good would I be? And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would be of no value whatsoever. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Love will last forever, but prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will all disappear. Now we know only a little, and even the gift of prophecy reveals little! But when the end comes, these special gifts will all disappear. It’s like this: When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now. There are three things that will endure–faith, hope, and love–and the greatest of these is love.
Why is “the greatest of these” is love? We know God is Love. God = Love. Having been created in His image we are designed to love. Unfortunately, sin has distorted the true definition of love. It is only when we stop our ways of thinking about love, unlearn them, and relearn how to love by gazing at the Son. If we spend time, real time, contemplating Jesus’ life — what He did for us, what He’s doing for us, and what He will do for us — then we will begin learning what Love is all about.
Do I see red everywhere? I hope so. It’s the red that cleanses my mind. It’s the red that covers my faults. It’s the red that saves me from eternal separation from my God.
My friends, everyday is another day given of Love to us and for us. May we use the time to help one another be covered in Red.