For it is an opening of the spiritual eye into the humanity of Christ, and may be called the fleshly love of God, as St Bernard saith, inasmuch as it is set upon the fleshly nature of Christ, and it is right good, and a great help for the destroying of great sins, and a good way to come to virtues, and so after to the Contemplation of the Godhead. For a man shall not come to the spiritual light in Contemplation of Christ’s Godhead, unless first he be exercised in imagination with bitterness and compassion, and in stedfast thinking of His humanity. Thus St Paul did, and therefore first he saith: I desired to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. (John Climacus)

If Jesus was fully human, as orthodox teaching holds, he had the freedom to choose. In the wilderness, or in the Garden or with Pilate he might have chosen a different way.

But Jesus chose to fulfill his true self. He knew his purpose and context with sufficient clarity to make choices that would advance that purpose.

We have examples where Jesus struggled to choose, as with the woman caught in adultery or on the eve of his crucifixion. With the Samaritan woman at the well Jesus was persuaded to change his choice.

Perhaps purpose was so clear to Jesus because he was especially self-aware of choosing. Too often we choose out of negligence.

Dear God, help me today to recognize your gift of choice.