The Choice to Love

Buenas Dias.

I just returned from a [cru] meeting and a beer with my friend Tim. It was great. All three parts. [cru], Tim, and, the beer.

Before I even got out of [cru], however, I found myself wrestling with the topic of tonight's talk. My friend Amy Seiffert talked about love in its truest form. To be honest, the first thought that went through my mind when I heard she was giving the talk again was that 'oh, i'm going to hear that talk again.' Seriously.

I expected monotony. What I got a nice kick in the arse.

Love. Oh, Love. As Amy said tonight...the word 'love' is so widely used in our American culture. When it comes down to the real deal about love I think we are all students.

Love in it's truest form ('agape') is not selfish. It looks past ugliness and imperfection. It embraces people where they are at.

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Kick in the arse: Love is a choice. So often, I forget that. I don't have to love my friends. I don't have to love my family. I don't have to love anyone...really!

Lately, I have been thinking about this very topic, asking myself "why don't I accept this person where they're at?" "why do they look so gross to me?" "why do they make me uncomfortable?" I thought the problem was that they were just not that loveable. Not cute. Not pretty. Like me.

I think most people have done it. We don't feel very pretty or acceptable, and so we can't imagine being loved. Our inward perspective is reflected in our relationships with other people.

I believed the lie that there is something one must do to be loved. 'Agape' is an unconditional love, the love God has. It is a love which is patient and embraces ugliness and imperfection based on understanding.

Love is a choice.

I can choose to see past the smell, look, akward pauses. I can look past these things understanding that I, myself, am not perfect.

'...love covers a multitude of sins...'

"It's a choice, David...it's a choice, so choose!"

DC