![]() ![]() To use a radical example, let’s say I had a son who was abusing drugs. It’s one thing to say I love my children, but how I relate to them relates to who they are. But just because I love them all equally and unconditionally doesn’t mean I treat them all the same way. That’s essential. That love is not conditional upon their performance. In my relationship with my children, there is never a question about my love for them. Love is something offered to someone else, relationship is something two people share. And while we should always offer unconditional love, that love must always allow others to say “no.” It must always be conditional to each individual person. It’s important to distinguish between love and relationships, because they’re not the same thing. I’m saying all this so you’ll understand what I mean when I say love is unconditional, but relationships aren’t. God has gone to great lengths to protect our ability to say no, because without it, love simply cannot exist. It applies to everything-from how we relate to God, to each other, and even to ourselves. It’s no different with our relationship with God.īut the ability to say no is profound and necessary. Choice is essential to the existence of love. In all of those, you have the ability to say “no,” and so do they. Just think about your relationships with the people you love and trust. That’s a philosophy we may have been fed, but in our hearts, we know better. We have this idea of a God who forces us to love Him, or requires love from us. ![]() In fact, it’s been a little detrimental to it. Our Christian theology hasn’t always been great at recognizing this. Here’s an important part of the wonder of our humanity: Forced love is no love at all.
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