Self-Sacrificial Love

To love someone, and to have those feelings returned — romantically or platonically — is a beautiful thing. And there is much joy to be found in it. But the everyday level of actually loving differs greatly from what has come to be the airy concept of love. Cupid’s bows and love without obstacles make for pleasant fairytales, but real love requires work and self-sacrifice.

A beautiful essay on love, reflecting on one of the best episodes in all of Trek. It nails the powerful picture of love and friendship in “Measure of a Man,” where Cmdr. Riker must take up the role of prosecutor against his friend Data in a place that lacks one or Data will receive a devastating summary judgment in lieu of a trial. Riker has to choose between the comfortable, but self-preserving path versus a deeply personally painful route that offers Data hope:

It’s also about how we love when we are stuck between difficult choices. How we love when that loving gives us back precious little but pain.

We as humans are called to do this, but it is mighty hard. Yet, we learn how to do it more as we follow the Savior who perfectly demonstrates what we can only achieve through Him in this life.