Odds are...
I am no mathematician nor statistician nor gamblin' man, however, I do know the more dice I roll, the higher my chances of landing on my favorite number.
The same is true regarding the perils of love. The more people you chose to love, the more chance you have of getting hurt. (I don't mean just romantic love either, but all types of love.)
For example, any of the following could happen when it comes to love...
I. The person you love betrays you in some form or fashion or hurts you somehow
1. Blabs a secret you told them to another
2. Steals something from you
3. Lies to you…
II. The person you love goes away and looses touch…
III. The person you love is struck down prematurely
1. Dies from terminal illness
2. Dies in automobile accident…
I could go on and on, but the point is that when you choose to love, you are accepting the fact that there is a chance you may get hurt. You are signing your name on the dotted line. The more you love...the more you sign.
So, am I implying you should never again chose to love? Not a chance! I am merely pointing out that we, whether we know it or not chose to take the aforementioned risks all the time. Why? The rewards of true love far outweigh the risks. Loving those around us helps us to live life accented by a cornucopia of colors. A loveless life would, by any definition, be a dull, listless mundane life marked by varying subdued shades of grey.
Jesus Christ told His followers that by choosing to love Him, many hard times would come their way. Persecution, abandonment, mockery, torture, exile, and earthly death are just some of the perils faced by those who chose to proclaim the name of Christ. Why? Men love the darkness and hate the light; they prefer a lie to the truth. Christ proclaimed many times He was the light and the Truth.
Christ also promised that if we followed Him and trusted in Him, he would fill our lives with purpose and meaning, He would break us free from the rusty shackles of enslaving, blackening sin and lead us into an abundant life...one that is overflowing with the rich hues of meaningful relationships and one that is saturated with the bright pastels of purpose. And above all, he would grant us an eternal place in His kingdom...where the sea is as shimmering crystals and the streets are made of the purest gold.
Choose Love...for the win.
