The Decision to Love
“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment.
And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Mark 12:30–31 (NKJV)
Jesus made it clear: the most important thing in life is summed up in two fundamental decisions—to love God and to love people. It’s all about God… and people. Yet we live in a world where love is in crisis. Revelation shows us that a church can have many works, but if it has lost love, everything else collapses. Love can grow cold, wear out, or simply vanish if we do not nourish it through daily obedience and intentionality.
• The love of many grows cold because of wickedness, but I choose to keep it alive
In a world of betrayal, violence, indifference, and pain, it’s easy to shut down—but I choose to forgive. I choose to believe. I choose to love, even when it’s hard.
• Everything is affected by sin, but I choose to love amid imperfection
Society, government, families, and schools—everything is broken by sin. Even so, I choose to love my neighbor with God’s help.
• Compassion fatigue is real, but I won’t give up
Sometimes the world’s needs feel overwhelming. But one person filled with love can make a difference in their school, their job, their city.
• Loving is a daily decision, not an occasional emotion
I choose to believe when everything seems dark. I choose to forgive so my soul won’t grow bitter. I choose to love, even when it’s not returned. That is my decision.
• Remember why you started
Do you remember why you wanted to be a teacher, a police officer, a lawyer, a pastor, or an entrepreneur? It wasn’t for money or prestige. It was because you loved. Go back to loving like you did at the beginning.
“But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!”
Revelation 2:4 (NLT)
Think About It:
- Am I loving God with all my heart, mind, and strength?
- Am I loving people as myself, or have I fallen into apathy and fatigue?
- What practical decisions can I make today to love again like at the beginning?