Love Is A Choice

Love Is A Choice by Hannah VanPay

John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

Love is not feeling or even an emotion. The kind of Biblical love we strive for is a consistent choice. Jesus gave us a choice when He unselfishly and sacrificially laid down His own life in order for man to be right with God. Because He gave of Himself man can now have a relationship with Him.

1 John 3:16 says “By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for one another.” He laid it down, a choice of his own volition. That’s something that marks Jesus and Christianity as a whole from any other religion in the world, that God out of His great love for us came down from Heaven for you and I. The Son of God left his throne to live a sinless life yet die a sinner’s death to be close to you! That is love. Love is sacrifice.

Selflessness is one of the first things that attracted me to Chi Alpha. When I became a part of this community the way people loved, honored, and served one another reminded me of the love of Christ. I had never had friends who put my own needs before their own… who chose my highest good… who spoke truth into my life because they chose to love me. This kind of friendship is contrary to what our culture tells us what love is. Many believe that love is something that feels good or lasts only a little while. But true love is constant and consistent because Jesus is constant and consistent.

We love because of His love for us, not only because we “feel like it.” We are without excuse. Love is the mark of Christian character. John 13:35 says “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” It’s not just what we say or teach that shows people that we follow Jesus...but rather how we live our lives in a way that puts others first.

Conviction

Love is unselfishly choosing the highest good of another.

Practical Challenge

Look at your friendships and ask yourself if you’re unselfishly loving them by putting their needs ahead of your own. Are you being selfless or selfish? Find two ways to serve someone unselfishly this week.