Choosing to Love

Happy Valentine's Day!  The day that most everyone is reminded of love, giving and receiving of love and all it's imagined to be.  The only problem with that is that most of us have a romantic idea of what it is supposed to look like.  In fact, love is a choice and not an emotion.  It is based on our ability to show kindness and compassion to another human being without regard to any warm and fuzzy feelings

that may be evoked or even their ability to reciprocate in kind.

 

I was reading "Love Dare" last night.  If you saw the movie Fireproof then you may remember Caleb's father explaining this concept of love being a choice to his son.  Many of us have heard other's say or even have said ourselves that "we follow our heart".  But, if we are following our heart, then who or what is leading it?  For us to make the choice to love others, our spouses, our children, our friends, then we must be willing to love unconditionally.  To love unconditionally means it can't be based on feeling or emotion because those change quite rapidly in some cases depending upon circumstance and action.

 

No, to love without regard to emotion, we have to lead our hearts by making a choice to do so. We must make the decision to follow God's command to love one another as He has loved us.  I'm pretty sure that He doesn't love us based on emotion.  If He did, most of us would be out

of luck because we will have disappointed Him at some point and that would leave us out in the cold.  He loves us because He chooses to.  Therefore, we must choose to follow His command and example.

 

The only way we can truly do this is by allowing God to love through us.  For us to love others as He has loved us can only be accomplished through His power and influence in our lives.  We have to always be eager to act on His behalf in the interest of others by showing kindness, compassion and hospitality. "When God's people are in need, be ready to help them.  Always be eager to practice hospitality" Romans 12:13

 

So, today my friends, I am seeking God's guidance and strength to make the choice to love you, my husband, my daughter and others without regard to emotion.  I will love you all because I choose to follow the example of Christ.  I will love you by showing kindness and compassion.  I will love you even when you don't do what I want or what I think you should.  Sometimes that may mean that I will tell you, in a loving way, if I believe you are not seeking God and following Him.  And, I hope you will do the same for me.  None of us are perfect, far from it in my case, however we all are beloved children of the Almighty and we need to

be loved and cared for by others.

 

I love you through Christ, because of Christ and on behalf of Christ!