Love Is a Choice (10/07/2026)

When I arrived that night for faith formation with 6^th graders, the director met me at the door. I could tell by her face that something was amiss. She led with a question, “Could you possibly teach the 4^th graders tonight as well? Their teacher got sick suddenly.” I said, “Sure. No problem.” Then as I walked to my room, I admitted to the LORD who is always with me that it might be a problem.  But then the students arrived, trickling in, taking stock of the situation. When it was time to start, I explained what was up and that I needed the 6^th graders to “adopt” a 4^th grader for the night. And immediately, they did just that. The night was unusual, but at the end, I think we all learned something, even me.

As I sat that night in prayer, I was in awe of what the LORD had brought to me in such a short time. I was also eager to share with Him how pleased I’d been with the students. And I heard the most amazing thing which I have kept in my “active file.” I heard,  “Love is a choice.”

I pondered that.  And my awe only increased at the power of the LORD’s love received by me giving me hope and assurance that it would be all right.  Upping that sense of awe even more was the impact of the LORD’s love on the hearts of others. Those 6^th graders could have totally disregarded my plea, but they didn’t. And every one of them found a 4^th grader and partnered with that 4^th grader for every activity. And the 4^th graders cooperated with the grace that flowed all around them. At the end of the night, I understood that everyone there had made a choice, a choice to love in that moment.

Love is a choice. Love is the choice. Every day we are challenged by the events and needs of the day. And every day our choice is simple, to love or not to love. Love is the choice we must make if we truly wish to follow the LORD. One look at the crucifix and we know that this is the choice we must make if we wish to follow Him. It won’t be easy. But as I have learned along the way, we won’t be alone.

May those of us on the journey of faith, seeking to live Christ in our world, recognize that it calls for us to choose love moment to moment, love of the LORD most often shown through love of the other that stands before us. May we choose with courage knowing that while it may not be easy, it is possible. Let us pray daily for the power of the Spirit to choose love always as our response to the needs as well as problems we encounter along the way in the people we meet.

Until tomorrow, love well.