NFL Star Benjamin Watson On Christ And True Love For St. Valentine’s Day

Ever since he wrote a thoughtful, heartfelt post about the unfortunate events in Ferguson, Missouri, I’ve been following the Facebook page of New Orleans Saints tight end Benjamin Watson, and I wrote about his lovely sentiments for New Year’s Day.

An outspoken Christian, husband and father of four, Watson continues to hit them out of the park. Here’s his current post, on St. Valentine’s Day and the nature of real love:

I can vividly remember those grade school ‪#‎ValentinesDay‬ cards. As the big day neared the whole school would be abuzz with anticipation. Who would get what from who? More importantly, “What would I get from who. And would I get it from the person I wanted to get it from. Because I’m surely going to give them something and don’t want to be left hanging!”

By the end of Valentine’s Day it didn’t take a genius to figure out who the most popular kids were. They had the boxes of mint chocolates sold by the school store, the multicolored heart tarts, and a bag full of Barbie, Ninja Turtle, and Disney Valentine’s Day cards. (I wasn’t the most popular but I did I alright if I do say so myself!).

From childhood we are inundated with images of Eros love. We are taught that this passionate, sexually driven love is by all accounts; TRUE love. As adults we operate in this fallacy in our marriages and dating relationships. We “fall in and out of love.” Like a bonfire on the beach the flame surges into the night sky only to dwindle to nothing if left unattended.

Eros love is very important when it comes to healthy marriages. God created sex, desire and attraction as a gift that keeps on giving….literally (babies). But it is just the beginning. True love is an action. Picture that bonfire on the beach again. The wood is tied together and doused with flammable fluid. It is lit and bursts into orange and yellow flames which begin to consume and burn. To keep this fire providing the warmth and light it was designed for, specific ACTION must take place. Wood MUST be added to the fire. Without this continued action, we all would correctly expect this fire to cease to exist. With action, though, this fire will continued to burn, and even burn MORE INTENSELY.

The Bible says in John 3, that God loved the world so much that he GAVE his one and only Son. Romans 5 tells us that God DEMONSTRATES his love for us in this. While we were still sinners Christ DIED for us. 1 Corinthians 13 reminds us that love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and it endures all things. Love never fails.

Love is an ACTION that always seeks the best for the recipient. Contrary to popular belief it is possible to love without feeling like it. It is possible to love, when the object can offer nothing in return.

Love is selfless. Lust is selfish
Love gives. Lust takes
Love grows. Lust fizzles.

In many ways, love has been cheapened and perverted into something that it is not. I think we have all fallen for the love lie at some point in our lives. Maybe we are battling through it right now. In order for our relationships to provide the warmth and light they were designed for they MUST be tended to. Even a smoldering relationship on the verge of extinction can be brought back from embers to inferno! But it takes ACTION.

This Valentine’s Day lets evaluate our love for our spouses, children and friends and make a commitment to make changes where we need to.

Happy Valentine’s Day!