love cannot be coerced

Continuing "God Pulls"...

Abandoning the struggle for human power is frightening, though, because it leaves us so vulnerable. "Like sheep among wolves," Jesus described his followers. But he told them not to be afraid. "Not a hair of your head will perish." "No one can snatch you out of my Father's hand." We don't need to worry about gathering enough power to defend ourselves, because we are secure in God's care.

And to abandon the struggle for human power is not to give up our desire for justice. We have seen the kind of justice that money and politics can provide. A power that can be bought and sold, and even used for evil, is not a power we should rely on for justice. God is the author of justice and the only hope that justice will be done. "Will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night?" Jesus asked. "I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them."

The pull of God's love moves us to respond when evil is done by others, but not to punish or destroy them. "Do not resist an evildoer," Jesus taught. God does not want to force people to turn from evil, crushing their freedom. God's desire is that each of us freely choose to surrender to his love and be pulled towards goodness. Love cannot be coerced. We can only demonstrate the power of God's pull in our own lives and hope that it stirs a desire and hope in the hearts of others. They must come to goodness the same way any of us does, by stopping our struggle and letting God pull us and move us in love for one another. For this, human power is of no use.

Continued...