Harold Keller / L’Observateur / February 11, 2000

My friend, Pat Hymel, the assistant principal at Riverside Academy, invited me this past Thursday to the schools’ FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) weekly meeting. It started at 7:10 a.m. and opened with a prayer.There were 23 students in attendance – 16 girls and seven boys. CoachGlen Fernandez is one of the sponsors and senior Jennifer Guidry is this year’s president.

I was impressed that the students get to school early to attend this weekly meeting. I was informed that every week a different student isassigned to moderate the group. Thursday, junior Jared Wheelaham was incharge. His subject was the different kinds of love. He shared aboutunconditional love, love you might experience in a special group, sacrificial love, and eros love, which is a sexual expression of physical love.

He handed out a questionnaire for the group to answer. The first questionwas: “In your opinion, at what point should a person be involved in a sexual relationship?” The answer was unanimous: Only after you are married.

The next question was: “What is your opinion of the phrase: safe sex? Is it really possible? Why or why not?” The majority said that there was no such thing as “safe sex.” The secular world would not agree with this, butthe truth is that there is no such thing.

Question Number Three was: “Should our sexuality, and what we do with it, be something we seek God’s advice on? Why?” Again, most answered yes and said that you should seek God on every decision in life. Oneclassmate said no, because it’s our decision to do what we want. Thatanswer concerns me because that’s what society wants us to believe. Infact, it allows us to justify anything we choose to do because of our free choice that God gives us.

The fourth question was: “Beyond the physical risks of sex, are there any emotional or spiritual risks?” Every person answered yes, but only spoke of the emotional risk. I agree that the emotional risk is devastating, butnot many young people think of the spiritual risk. It can be a spiritual riskthat could mean eternal damnation.

The last question was: “Give your definition of love.” Most answers had todo with feelings and went as far as to say – willing to die for the other person.

My definition for love is wanting the best for someone, not expecting anything in return.

Jared, the moderator, did an excellent job.

The meeting adjourned at 7:50 a.m. with a closing prayer.The subject, love, was very fitting because February is considered the month of love. Valentine’s Day means hearts, flowers, sweetheart dinners,and candy. Do all of these express love? Some do, but I’m sure most don’t.The majority of us get caught up in the season more than the meaning.

Love is a four-letter word that is misused more than any other word. It’sused more to manipulate than anything else.

God’s answer to all of the world’s problems can be summed up in one word – love. Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, mind and soul, and loveyour neighbor as you love yourself. All the laws of God are based on thesetwo commands.

HAROLD KELLER is affiliated with the Get High on Life religious motivational group. Call (504) 652-8477.

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