Read
And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Colossians 3:14
Reflect
Fabius and Lucilla had a problem. Both were Christians, and they had met and fallen in love. That shouldn’t have been a problem—but in third-century Rome, it was. Emperor Claudius had issued an edict preventing young men from marrying. (After all, an unmarried soldier was thought to be a better fighter.) But Fabius and Lucilla desperately wanted to be married.
So in the dead of night, they sought out a priest named Valentine. They had heard rumors that he would quietly marry young couples in defiance of the emperor’s command.
A shadowy figure approached them.
“Fabius?”
The young man nodded.
“Both of you—come with me.”
The figure led them to a nearby door, entered, and beckoned them to follow. Once inside, he lit a candle and removed the hood from his head.
“I am Valentine,” he said. “I understand you are both in love.”
Such is the legend of St. Valentine—the Roman priest who defied the edict of his emperor and ultimately paid for it with his life.
Today, most of us remember Valentine by exchanging cards, flowers, candy, and gifts with the special people in our lives. But the greater homage we can pay to this saint is to live out the kind of love he was willing to die for.
Valentine’s Day is often an ooey, gooey holiday. But the love of St. Valentine—the love that finds its source in Christ Himself—is a love rooted in sacrifice. The love that gives you butterflies is sweet, but it pales in comparison to the love that leads you to lay down your life for someone else.
Today, I hope you enjoy the day and that there is someone with whom you can share it. But before you venture out for an evening of fun and romance, be sure to place the Lord at the center of your love. Pray that He will honor your time together and lead you both into a deeper relationship—with each other, and with Him.
Reflection copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.
Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
