It's a choice

This is me forcing myself to write. I keep saying I want to do it, but then I don't do it. So, here I am writing even when I don't feel like it.

That's sometimes how I feel about a lot of things. I have to force myself. Exercise, for example, never really feels like a fun thing to do. But since it's good for me, I should probably force myself to do it. Resisting temptation is never the easy way out. If it was, it wouldn't be called temptation. But forcing myself to resist is always the best choice.

Last night, Geoff Cocanower brought a strong message to the students of NMC Senior High out of I John 3:16.

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

Geoff talked about true friendship and true community among brothers and sisters in Christ. I have several guys I consider brothers, but I'm not convinced we're living in true community. I mean, would we really lay down our lives for each other? DO we lay down our lives for each others?

Here's what I realized: It's a choice.

Yep, simple as that. I can choose to be a true friend and lay my life down for whoever I want. Anytime I want to do it. It's not the easy way out and it's not the most appealing thing in the world, but if I claim to love someone it's the best choice. Obviously I would lay down my life for my family and I live in true community and friendship with them, but how many others are there? How many should there be?

I know we're not called to go it alone in this life and that includes more than my family. I need brothers! Guys who will lay down their lives for me and who I'm ready to lay my life down for.

So now I've got to force myself to do it. It's a choice.