Why Valentines Day?

Valentine in the dungeon

The True Meaning of Valentine’s Day

Why do we celebrate Valentine’s Day? Is it just about writing cute cards, buying chocolates, or taking our significant other out for an expensive dinner? While Valentine’s Day focuses on romantic love, its origins run much deeper. At its core, it is rooted in the love of God and the courage to stand for what is right.

In the third century, during the Roman Empire, Emperor Claudius II decreed that young men should not marry. He believed that soldiers would be more focused and loyal if they were not distracted by wives and families. To enforce this, he forbade marriage among men of fighting age.

However, a priest named Valentine saw things differently. Believing that marriage was a sacred gift from God, he secretly performed weddings despite the emperor’s orders. Eventually, he was discovered, arrested, and sentenced to prison.

Even in prison, Valentine’s faith in God remained unshaken. He befriended his jailer and even tutored the jailer’s young daughter in reading and writing. His kindness and love reflected the teachings of Christ, showing that true love reaches even beyond barriers of enmity. We should love our neighbore as we love ourselves. According to tradition, he signed his notes to the young girl, “From your Valentine.” This is believed to be the origin of the practice of exchanging Valentine’s cards.

John 13:34-35 (NKJV)

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

The emperor eventually gave Valentine a choice: renounce his Christian faith and worship the Roman pagan gods, or face execution. Valentine chose to stand firm in his faith, refusing to deny Christ—even at the cost of his life.

The Moral of the Story

True Christian leaders:

• Stand up for what is right, even when the government says otherwise.

• Share the love of Christ with everyone—even their enemies.

• Remain faithful to Christ, no matter the cost.

Valentine’s Day is more than just a celebration of romance. It is a reminder of sacrificial love, unwavering faith, and the courage to stand for truth.

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The Fear of The Lord

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

-Proverbs 9:10NKJV

The fear of the Lord. What is that? What does that mean? How do we do that appropriately? Are we to fear God? Isn’t that thought contradictory? Is not God love? The Bible describes the goodness, faithfulness, and mercy of God, which does not sound like someone to fear. The Bible even shares that perfect love casts out all fear. Fear, after all, is a tool of the devil, a byproduct of sin. It’s understood that the sinner ought to have a genuine fear of God, who can destroy more than your life by casting you in the fire of hell, again the byproduct of a life of sin. But what of the believer, the one who places their ultimate faith in the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ? Should this person fear God?

Christians should not fear God, for Jesus identified God as our Father. Jesus even helps us to understand that only God is good and that we can have a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. This is not the fear of an abusive Father, but it is an awesome reverence and respect. God is not your “bro,” your “homeboy,” your “girlfriend,” etc. God is our Father and, as such, deserves our utmost respect and worship. We are to love and serve God. In simple forms, the fear of the Lord equals obedience. When you obey God, you fear God. When you want to sin and even feel tempted to sin, but you obey God in the face of that sin, that is fearing God. When you obey but you don’t feel like it, that is fearing God. Jesus demonstrated fear of the Lord by denying sin and obeying God.

Real Spirit-Led Leadership is obedience to God. Spirit-led leadership stands up for God for what is right, even in the face of adversity and times of discomfort for us. Leadership is standing for truth, integrity, excellence, and showing the way. Leaders must have a genuine fear of the Lord. Which is, as promised in the scripture above, the beginning of Wisdom. God will grant wisdom when we respect and honor Him. God gives favor to those who demonstrate Honor to Him. As leaders, we need wisdom to make the right choices to have a vision and to move forward. That discernment, that wisdom is found in valuing and obeying God. The primary way to do this is to learn to trust in the forgiveness of Jesus Christ and to learn to be led by the unction of the Holy Spirit.

Are you ready to Lead by fearing God today?

You Are Well Able

Able despite the storm

Luke 8:22–25- One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they set out, 23 and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. 24 And they went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 He said to them, “Where is your faith?” And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?”

This story is beloved by many Christians as it illustrates Jesus’s power over nature and His ability to bring peace to any situation. We all need the presence, power, and peace of Jesus in our lives. With a singular bold act of faith, Jesus transforms the situation, confronting fear and silencing the storm. He can do the same in your life. The Word of Faith is the lever that moves mountains and calms the seas.

But there is another powerful lesson here. Jesus’s ability to fall asleep and remain at peace during the storm reveals His confidence in His disciples. He believed they were capable of handling the situation. This is further emphasized when He rebukes them for their lack of faith, challenging them to act on what they had already seen and learned. They had been empowered, having witnessed countless miracles, and they were equipped to face the storm. The disciples had what it took to overcome fear and rise to the challenge, just as we do when we trust in Him.

Spirit-led leadership is about empowering others to take action and make a difference. It’s about equipping and inspiring others to transform the world around them. True leadership points the way and provides the guidance necessary for others to step into positions of influence with confidence.

This process begins with delegation but ultimately leads to your pupil or disciple being fully capable of stepping into your role. Effective leaders ensure that those they mentor feel confident and prepared to handle the responsibilities before them, enabling them to thrive and succeed.

Uplifting Others: From Butterfly Leadership

Jesus loved the poor. He freely gave out an abundance of food in more than one scripture in the Bible. He loved the sick and lame by healing them. He associated with those who were outcasts. He loved the working class by making many of his disciples. He elevated the status of women and children in the Bible. He honored the sinful woman who anointed his feet with oil. Her story is forever in the Word of God in all four Gospels. He said that for anyone who harms these little ones, it would be better for you to have a millstone hung about your neck and thrown into the sea.

He valued the rich by coming to banquets and answering their questions. He valued and honored authority, “give unto Caesars what is Caesars and unto God what is God’s.” Jesus took the time to value all who came to Him by faith. Jesus’s focus was to build the Kingdom of God and not His own ambition. When the devil offered Him the kingdoms of the world ( ambition ), Jesus refused and rebuked him. Everything Jesus did was focused on raising the Kingdom of God.

I have a question for you. What is the result of your ambition? To be a team leader? To be CEO? To be president? To be on the board? But to get there, how do you treat the entry-level people? Are they stepping stones for your journey up? Do you ignore the janitor? Do you see them as a person or tool for getting a job done? How do you treat the intern? Are they your servant as you dominate them, an obstacle to overcome to the top?

OR

Are you creating positivity and adding value to your co-workers? How do you treat that person who tries your patience? How do you treat your enemy or the person you perceive as your enemy? Are you creating value in your family? Are you creating value in your friends?

Excerpt from Butterfly Leadership. Now available on https://www.imprintinternational.com/books-for-sale

All proceeds go back into Imprint International ministry.