In life, you have three choices:

1. You can love!

Reach out. Risk. Cherish. Struggle. Get hurt. Fail. Fall back. Grieve. Heal. Get up and love again. Risk and engage again. Bond deeper. Experience great joy. Live with rich, soul satisfying love and a side dish of disappointment.

2. You can move to a love-neutral position.

Try not to love too much or too little. Play it safe. Dawdle near the edges. Lean in but remain standoffish. Start and stop. Look interested but not too interested. Enjoy some love. But stay away from the pain.

3. Or you can quit trying to love.

Shut down. Never risk. Stay safe. Live detached. Hide. Retreat. Keep up a full-time guard. Harden your heart. Squelch the longing. Live protective and disconnected. And with no love, quietly slide towards bitterness.

It’s your life. You get to pick one of the above.

American novelist Erica Jong said this about love: “Love is everything it’s cracked up to be. It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for.”

Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” – John 13:34 (NIV)

Peter told us, “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.” – 1 Peter 1:22 (NIV)

PRAYER

Father, I want to be a great lover like you. I want to thoroughly love and be loved. Help me open my heart and risk—fully knowing my heart will be broken. I take comfort in knowing you will be with me even in heart break. I want to live well and love well. Yours always, Amen.