Biblical Answer

When love becomes a daily choice in the chaos of everyday life, several things happen. First, love becomes more than just an emotional feeling. It becomes a habit, a choice we make every day, even when it's hard. This is what Porter means when he says that "merely following rules is not enough" (Porter, 1). He's saying that just doing what's right because we have to, or because it's expected of us, is not the same as truly choosing to love. When we make love a daily choice, we start to cultivate habits of love, service, and self-discipline that become second nature to us. This is the kind of love that God calls us to, a love that is "unconditional, unwavering, and unchanging" (Porter, 2). It's a love that is not based on how the other person makes us feel, but on our commitment to love them, no matter what.

Second, when love becomes a daily choice, we start to see the world and the people in it in a different light. We begin to understand that love is not just about our own feelings and desires, but about serving and caring for others. This is what Porter means when he says that "ordinary love gives for another to a point, but when the cost of acting lovingly gets too high, loving behavior ends" (Porter, 1). But God's kind of love is different. It's a love that is willing to pay the cost, no matter what. It's a love that is willing to serve and sacrifice for others, even when it's hard. This is the kind of love that changes us, and the world around us.

Finally, when love becomes a daily choice, we start to experience the kind of love that is described in the Bible. It's a love that is "unconditional, unwavering, and unchanging" (Porter, 2). It's a love that is not based on our feelings or circumstances, but on our commitment to God and to loving others. This is the kind of love that brings joy and satisfaction, not just in the short term, but in the long term. It's a love that is worth choosing, every day, even in the chaos of everyday life. As Porter says, "real love is the engine on which lifelong marriages are run" (Porter, 1). It's a love that is worth cultivating, and worth choosing, every day.