Through his story of learning the courage to love, James Choy reminds us that love is most powerful when it costs us something—that it’s possible to stand firm in truth while extending grace, and that unity begins where judgment ends.
The Courage to Love
When James Choy shared his story, he invited us into one of the hardest and holiest tensions of our time—learning to love when it’s not easy, when it’s not returned, and when it comes with risk or discomfort. It’s one thing to love people who love us back. It’s far harder when emotions are tangled, beliefs collide, or the relationship feels uncertain. Yet that is precisely where real love takes root.
James reflected on how our world has become increasingly divided—politically, socially, even within families and churches. We live in a time when everyone feels the need to take a side, to defend, to react. And yet, Jesus’ way is different. His invitation is to love first—to lead with compassion, even toward those we disagree with.
He challenged us to consider what love looks like when it’s tested: when a friend’s lifestyle clashes with our convictions, when a loved one makes choices we can’t understand, or when a co-worker’s political or social views spark frustration. Love in these moments isn’t about agreement—it’s about choosing to see the person before the position. To love is not to condone; it is to remain open, prayerful, and grounded in grace.
This kind of love requires courage. It asks us to release our need to control outcomes and to trust the work of the Holy Spirit to change hearts, including our own. It’s a love that doesn’t compromise truth but refuses to weaponize it.
James also warned of a more subtle danger—the temptation to let anger and outrage define us. In a world that monetizes attention, anger is the currency. The more we give it, the more divided we become. But when we refuse to participate in that cycle—when we respond with peace and patience—we reclaim the sacred ground of unity.
The early church wrestled with the same divisions we see today. Paul and John repeatedly urged followers of Jesus to live in love, to “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace,” and to remember that all have fallen short of God’s glory. Their call is still ours: to resist the schemes that pit us against one another and instead embody a love that disarms hostility and heals division.
James’s story echoes a simple yet powerful prayer for our generation: Teach us to love again. Teach us to love God more deeply, to love one another more freely, and to love the world more courageously. Because the truest measure of faith is not found in how loudly we argue for truth—but in how steadfastly we love while holding it.