Philosophers ask big questions like:
What is virtue?
What is a human being?
What makes human beings virtuous?
Are we free agents (the libertarian theory, which says we are rational agents who have the capacity to freely choose a course of action from among various alternatives)?
Are we determined (the determinism theory, which states all events—including moral choices—are completely determined by previously existing causes)?
Are we a little of both (the compatibilist theory, which argues that determinism is reconcilable with human freedom).
I know that we are products of our environment and I know we inherit proclivities from our families. But in the end, I am convinced we choose who we become.
I choose.
You choose.
Still, no matter what you believe, one at least should ask themselves:
After experiencing me, are people better or worse?
After experiencing me, do people have their humanity erased or enhanced?
Am I diminishing my humanity by my decisions?
How do I stop making decisions which diminish my humanity?
You have to answer questions #1-3
Here’s my answer to #4: by love.
What you love determines who you become.
Always.
Tell me what or who you love and I can tell you who you’ll become.
The Romantics believed love was everything, “the temple, the higher law.”
For the most part I agree.
Love gives us a name, a purpose, and a destiny.
But experiencing romantic love does not mean I will choose a life of virtue.
Only an eternal Redeemer's love can redeem us, change us, and enhance our humanity.
A Redeemer’s love changes everything.
Forever.
Why?
Because eternal love does not die.
Romantic love.
Redeemer’s love.
You can choose one or the other, or both.
But when you choose the Redeemer’s love,
You choose a new life.
You choose who you will become.
Photo by Matheus Ferrero on Unsplash