It is officially 2017 – and with the new year comes new resolutions, new challenges, and new opportunities. But each of these things come with strings attached. Tied to every personal goal or challenge lies a decision; an opportunity to persevere or to give up. We are faced with times of failure and uncertainty; and more often than not, there is fear associated with these obstacles. But until we really look inside ourselves and verbalize these fears, we may not even realize that we have them. Thus is the journey; and though we may not know when they will appear, we can be sure that they will be present along the way. So why then, are we afraid to live boldly? Why do we hold on to this underlying fear of failure and uncertainty? This leads into an important question that we must thoughtfully consider:
"Why am I afraid to love boldly?"
Today's society continues to reinforce and ingrain the idea of the self and self-preservation. We have become more impersonal relationally and a more privatized people. We have become selfish individuals who are more concerned with their own appearance than with their neighbor's well-being. This applies both on a physical and material level and an emotional and spiritual level. In Is our neglect of this commandment due to the uncomfortable nature of it? Perhaps then we should take a closer look at what the word "love" really means. According to Merriam-Webster, Love is defined as "an unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another." Now there are several key descriptors to look at in this definition. These words are
Mark 12:28-32 NRSV says, "One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, 'Which commandment is the first of all?' Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself'.' There is no other commandment greater than these.
So now, we are not only afraid to love each other boldly, but we are also not heeding the command of our heavenly Father. How is it that we let our fear of earthly consequences and temporary discomfort control our response to the Almighty God? The one who rules over the heavens and the earth and loves each and every one of us. The Lord our God has a beautiful and perfect plan for each of our lives; we are a part of His story. Yes, loving boldly will hurt. Yes, as we go forward spreading the love of Christ we will face challenges. We all will stumble and fall. But that is exactly what love is about; it is inherently sacrificial. Every day that we choose to love boldly, we are taking a risk. We risk being faced with rejection. We run the risk of falling. We risk losing everything that this world has to offer. The question we must ask ourselves is, "Is loving boldly worth the risk?" – and that is a question that only you can answer.
