Make The Choice
“Loving someone is a choice, not a feeling.” ~ Christin Slade
I don’t often begin the reflections with a disclaimer; however, I will do so today. I want to acknowledge that I am “speaking to the choir” in these reflections and that all of you try your utmost to be as holy as possible. That being said, even the holiest person knows that he or she has only begun in a spiritual life when viewed against the perfection of God. So, let’s talk about choosing to love.
I would be comfortable in saying that we are mostly people of love. We choose to help others, to set good examples for others, and to do all that we can to bring others closer to God. At least, we do so the vast majority of the time. But what if we are not feeling well? What if we are angry? What if we are depressed? What if we are frightened?
Our feelings often sway our choices and, even more, our feelings try to relegate everything in our lives to the level of feeling. I have heard people even speak that way. Instead of saying, “I think that” or “I believe that”, they say “I feel that…” “I feel that person cheated.” “I feel that buying a lottery ticket today will be lucky.” Et cetera.
True Christian love is not a feeling. It is not a passing whim. It does not change with the time of day or the feelings of others. Love is a concrete reality rooted deeply in God. When we choose to love, we choose to look out for the good of another. We choose to help another or to protect another or to cherish another. We choose to lay down our lives for another if that becomes necessary.
Love is complete and unconditional. If someone says that he or she loves us and attaches conditions to that love, it’s not love. Love is noble and ever a reflection of God. When someone says that he or she loves us and we see God in their actions, that is, indeed, true love.
That is the kind of love to which we aspire and, if we are totally honest, it is a love that we have not yet reached. Keep practicing, though, because each time we choose to love as God loves, that love transforms not only another person, it transforms our very self as well.
FAITH ACTION: Choose love today over any other choice and let that love to complete and unconditional.