Perspective shift – The Bite of Love

“See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse – the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.” Deuteronomy 11:26-28 (NIV)

Free will is a blessing and a curse. While growing in Christ, there will be times you will be required to let go of preconceived ideas and expectations about “free will.”

We can want something for someone so badly, that we believe our desire for their good and growth will be enough to make it so. We plant and sow from this godly perspective, however, we can only manage our own “free will”, not someone else’s. For scripture says, “See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to Him, and to keep His commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death; blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live And that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His Voice, and hold fast to Him, For the Lord is your life. And He will give you many years in the land He swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” Deuteronomy 30:15-20 (NIV).

So, in the end, our desire is more about loving others even if their free will takes them in a different direction than God is taking you. The hard reality is that, they may choose to stay behind. Love is beautiful but it has a real bite sometimes. Not everyone can handle God's call and purpose for your life. Be blessed and be a blessing. Kindness is contagious.