Matthew Costner

I’m 29. I’m not old, but I’m old enough to have experienced some hurt. I’ve met people who for whatever reason seemed to want to intentionally hurt my family’s, or my, feelings. This past year was no exception – things happened and things were said at one point that I couldn’t understand at all. I remember thinking, “How can some of the ‘Christians’ I know be acting and saying some of the things they’re saying? Doesn’t love live in them!”

As badly as my feelings were hurt that some people would lie and be complete jerks, I had to remember we are all human. Just as they aren’t perfect, I’m not perfect. I’m capable of causing just as much hurt and pain. And not to “toot my own horn” I intentionally chose to take the higher road (that’s not to say I always do that). It was hard because I wanted to be just as mean in return, but deep down I knew that it wouldn’t truly make things better. 

It’s interesting to me that as Valentines Day approaches this is what’s on my mind. If life has taught me anything, I’m sure I will experience something similar (liars and mean people) again in the future. The fact of the matter, is that there’s a lot of jerks in the world. 

As I think of the jerks I know, I can’t help but wonder how many jerks God knows. And as I really think about that this morning, I’m awed that even though God can see the fullness of time (see the past, the present, and the future all at one time, AND SEE EVERY MEAN JERK IN THE WORLD), He chose to make a promise of love to us. Despite all the hatred, rudeness, and meanness toward Him, He still chooses love. And to prove it, he gave us a sign – the rainbow.

Genesis 9:12-16 says:

And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

This Valentines Day, if you see a rainbow, remember God’s love for you. And the great thing about God, is that He didn’t stop at the rainbow. He sent and gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16), so we can spend eternity with Him. What a loving God! Hallelujah! Amen.