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Well, we are entering Valentine’s Day week. Some years ago, when I directed a nonprofit organization, I got to work with college student leaders. One of those leaders created an event I’ll never forget. She called it Virtue Week. It was a week’s worth of campus activities designed to focus on the pure love of God that creates no sorrow, confusion, or disease. The week’s programming contrasted God’s love with other types of “love” that can cause all of those things. Virtue Week included a pledge. The pledge confirmed that the signee would remain free from sex for one week.

When I think of biblical examples of virtue, I think of the way Joseph conducted himself with Mary. Being betrothed to her and learning that she was pregnant, he acted respectfully toward her and protected her and the Christ Child even when the circumstances were extraordinary. He did all of this while not being able to consummate his marriage (Matthew 1:18-25). I also think of Ruth and Boaz. Ruth acted virtuously toward Naomi, her mother-in-law (Ruth 1). Then Boaz showed his virtue in performing the actions of a kinsman redeemer (Ruth 2-4). The opposite extreme was Onan’s actions toward Tamar (Genesis 38).

If you read the passage about Mary and Joseph in Matthew 1:18-25, consider these questions:

• What role does faith play in Joseph’s ability to be virtuous toward his Mary amid extraordinarily difficult circumstances?

If you read the passage about Ruth and Boaz in Ruth 1-4, consider the following questions:

• What fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5: 22-23) does Ruth display in her loyalty to Naomi?
• What societal perceptions did Ruth have to ignore in deciding to remain a widow in Naomi’s house?

If your read the passage about Tamar and Onan in Genesis 38, I invite you to consider these questions:

• What commandments of God was Onan disobeying in refusing to perform his duty to Tamar?
• What fruit of the spirit was Onan refusing to display when he did not perform his duty to Tamar?

Finally consider this question:

How can you demonstrate virtue in your current circumstance as a person who is single, married, etc.?

This week and especially on Valentine’s Day, amid the talk of love and the acts of affection, remember that the strongest act of love was recorded when God sent his only son Jesus to earth to die for sinful people, like you and me. I know His picture of love isn’t the cute and sweet kind like those we watch in the movies. Nevertheless, it is God’s passionate act of love that has given us new life and shown us an example to follow. God’s love demonstration resulted in so many of us returning that love through an act of confession and belief that Christ is who God says He is, his beloved Son and the savior of the world. I challenge you this week to love deeply the way Christ loves us.

What’s one thing you can do this week to demonstrate God’s love through you to others? Think of exhibiting love to friends, family members, or perfect strangers.