Can the Bible Speak to Valentine’s Day?

Valentine’s Day is that time of year when we typically think about romantic love; boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, and wives. And while the Bible has much to say about romantic relationships, emphasizing “romance” with children isn’t really healthy or appropriate. But that doesn’t mean children are excluded from this fun holiday. Peers, teachers, and family members all enjoy exchanging “valentines” with children and friends at this time of year. Neither does it mean that the Bible can’t speak to this or any holiday. Can the Bible speak to Valentine’s Day?

A Foundation for Loving Relationships

Before they’re old enough to explore romantic love, children can learn about a number of strong biblical themes and principles that will help them understand the essence of love and lay a foundation for loving relationships as they mature. Here are some biblical themes or principles you may want to discuss with children…

Forgiveness

All healthy relationships, romantic or not, require forgiveness sooner or later. Consider the story of Joseph forgiving his brothers to teach children about forgiveness.

Service

Love is often best demonstrated through service. Help children think about loving through service with these service-related activities.

Generosity

Our loving God is generous. True love always finds expression in generosity. The story of A Room for Elisha is a great study in generosity for younger children and it’s completely free!

Sacrifice

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.” Jesus’ death on the cross is the greatest demonstration of sacrificial love. This kind of love is always essential to healthy relationship. As appropriate, talk to your kids about Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.

Rick Edwards
Author, Speaker, Bible Teacher

See a list of other articles by Rick Edwards.