Love is a Decision

The word "love" is thrown around today like yesterday's trash is thrown out. Boyfriends and girlfriends tell each other "I love you," only to break up the next month. We rave about how we "love" Owl City or "love" the Avengers or "love" vintage-style clothing. Singers and bands sing about love, love, love. (seriously, just listen to your radio for two minutes, and you'll probably hear something about "love") Google defines "love" as "an intense feeling of deep affection" or "Feel a deep romantic or sexual attachment to (someone)." Google uses words like "affection," "fondness," "darling," and "passion" to describe "love." But what is love really?

Love is a decision.

It's not a feeling. It's not affections, fondness, passion, or feeling romantic or sexual attraction to someone. John 15:13 says this: There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. Love isn't affections or fondness. Note that the verse says "there is no greater love..." It doesn't say "there is no greater affection, fondness, or sexual attraction that to lay down one's life for one's friends." That's pathetic. Loving is not deeply enjoying a grilled cheese sandwich. Loving is going out of your way to help others, even if it's not "convenient" for yourself. Love is treating others the way you desire to be treated, even when you don't think they necessarily deserve it. Love is Matthew 5:44, which says:  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

(via google images search)

Loving orphans isn't just feeling we experience for a short-lived moment. Loving orphans has to be something we decide to do. We've got to decide that we will pray for them, love them, treat them like our own family (and perhaps, for some of us, even adopt them into our family). And not just orphans, but everyone we meet. We decide whether or not to love someone.

Love is a decision. Will you choose it?   

-Talia