adminRuth Fungurai
The legend of St Valentine’s was built on love, sacrifice, romance, and blossoming of love to matrimonial union. It is a paradox celebrating Valentines while the family unit and marriages are under siege. Husbands axing their wives with machetes and axes, spouses easily becoming exes, coupled with maintenance conflicts plaguing the civil court are now a national pastime.
All this makes sad reading especially in the supposed aura of love that should engulf the Valentines epoch. No doubt St Valentines is twisting and turning in his grave. Valentines, a day to celebrate love, celebrate your loved ones, celebrate marriage, celebrate romance and family at large is now under attack. It is under attack by a culture that wants to redefine it, un-spiritualise it and totally overshadow it.
The legend of St Valentines was built on love, sacrifice, romance, and blossoming of love to matrimonial union.
St. Valentine was willing to risk his life to allow couples to experience the blessing of marriage. Who do you know that could use a little blessing in their marriage? Maybe you can forego an expensive dinner out as a couple and instead send a newly married and financial strapped couple a gift card for a date night? Or maybe you know a struggling marriage that could use some alone time? How about offering to babysit to give them an evening out?
The foundation of a healthy and robust society is marriage. The moment marriage begins to break-up or ceases to function the way God intends, it will not be long before there are ramifications in the family and ultimately in society.
Marriage and family is the microcosm of the macrocosm. As you begin to destroy the Biblically defined structure and blueprint for a godly marriage <http://blog.hillsbiblechurch.org/2015/05/29/what-is-marriage/>, destruction and devastation comes to society.
The current trends in our society have devalued love, marriages, and matrimonial harmony. This has had a ripple impact on the family unit. The net effect of this has been child headed families, social distress, broken families, micro conflicts, and unorthodox coping strategies like abusing drugs like the infamous blue pill “madembare”.
Life is full of choices. Why chose to hate when you can love. Why chose to shout at her, when you can whisper and give birth to a smile and memorable love moments. Why chose to harden your mind when you can be understanding.
This Valentine’s Day let us challenge ourselves to love each other. Instead of bashing her, kiss her. Instead of assaulting her compliment her. Instead of insulting him, consult him. Instead of nagging him, appreciate him.
Give love, even if you do not expect to receive it back.
Take a stroll down the road, hold hands, laugh, smile and celebrate being together. This does not need money, it only needs undiluted commitment and above all LOVE.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails…And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor. 13: 4-8a, 13).
Ruth Fungurai is a passionate Theologian, and experienced marriage counsellor. She can be contacted on 0777991167 or email [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
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