COLUMNS
Voice of the Nations - February 7, 2010
a column by Karyn Alexander
All ya’ need is love….da da da da da da
That’s the tune the Beatles sang, anyway. Remember? Make love not war. “Love, love, love.”
On this forthcoming Valentine’s Day week, we are all reminded to think of love. We think of people we love, things we love, and what the word love means to us. We buy jewelry, wear red clothing, and eat chocolates from red heart-shaped boxes.
What is the meaning? Why do Americans express love on this day, Valentine’s Day?
St. Valentine was a giver, sort of like the Beatles, a lover of the people of his day. He gave to those in need. He was a guy who believed in the mantra, “All ya need is love.” He felt he could mend all ills and leave a mark on this world if he could only show love.
I, too, know a man of this caliber. He was the greatest lover of all, a lonely man who was homeless, broke, and betrayed. Even so, he was filled with love. He was a man who was common, not proud, but knew much. He walked the streets with a few friends, who in the end, left him for dead. He owned nothing, not a car, home, or pension plan. He had no formal schooling, was incarcerated on false charges, and was sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit.
When I met this man, I came to know why he, too, reflected the rareness of the Beatles song. He wasn’t just saying the words; he was living them. He did not care for himself, but gave to others because he loved them. I met him almost 20 years ago in Cincinnati. He came to me to show me his love.
How strange. I was a stay-at-home mom with three kids. I lived in the suburbs and had everything a person could want or need. He came to me to share his love, something he thought I could use. How did he find me? How did he get my name? It seemed peculiar that he would take the trouble to travel far to do only one thing: show me love.
He didn’t come with a box of chocolates, and he did not show up on Valentine’s Day. He came on an ordinary day without much fanfare. When I met him, I was surprised. He was a slight man, taller than I, but not huge. He wore a beard and carried himself with authority, yet was very soft spoken. He showed up at my house only carrying one message. He told me he loved me and wanted me to tell you the same. I felt peace surrounding him when we were together, and was changed forever after meeting this man.
For a homeless guy with no friends, he seemed to know a lot. He gave to me in an effortless way, teaching me about his kind of love. I asked what his name was and he told me to call him “friend.” He said, “I laid down my life for my friends.” It was a bizarre concept, but maybe street talk for, “I’ve got your back.”
It was the ultimate commitment on his part. He said he would never leave me. He had my back forever. No one commits like that today. People treat each other as though they were disposable. This man was in for the long haul. He was saying that his love would never fail me. I believed him. He was not a liar.
It’s been 20 years and 20 Valentine’s Days later. He has not left me, stopped loving me, or teaching me. He told me to tell you that he loves you too. He is a Rabbi, a teacher, a man of character and love. His name is Yeshua, Yahweh, Jesus, God Almighty.
I will change the words of the song a little, “All ya need is this guy’s love! Da da da da da.”
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Karyn Alexander
Executive Director, Winfield House
KarynBAlexander@aol.com
Winfield House brings the good news of Jesus in a practical way, giving the message of love and hope to God’s people.
