A Little Wisdom From "When in Rome"

Last night, Peggy and I watched When in Rome. In the movie Beth's sister gets married in Rome and wants her sister to be the maid of honor. She flies over and while at the wedding meets the grooms best man, Nick and they hit it off very well. Then she witnesses a kiss between Nick and a random girl and thinks her chance for love is gone. So she sits on the Fountain of Love and yells at the statue then pulls out five coins. Each coin that she 'rescues' belongs to a man who falls in love with her.

At the end of the movie she realizes she is in love with Nick, but doesn't want the love if he doesn't really love her. Then she says a line that hit home fore me:

"If I have taken away his will, it is not really love."

A big discussion that I have had a lot lately is why God gives us a choice when he knows that a lot of us will not choose to love him. It is like what Beth says in the movie. If our will is not there, it is not real love. How would I feel when I have been married for 25 years and on my anniversary my Husband knocks on the door with a dozen roses and box of candy and says that he got them for me because he had to. Or if I open the door and he says,"I love you so much that I wanted to show you by getting you these". The latter would receive a hug and kiss while the former would probably receive a slammed door in the face.

I think that this is how God feels. He doesn't want us coming to him and worshiping him because we have to, but because we want to. By giving us a choice, our love becomes more meaningful and valuable.

Thank you God for giving us a choice. It makes me realize not only how much my love for You, but how great Your love is for us that you sent Jesus to die for us knowing that most of the world would not choose You. I love you.

AMEN