The Greatest Act of Love

When you're in Sunday School, you're told that the greatest act of love was performed by Jesus Christ when He died on the cross for the sins of the whole world. And I admit that that is an incredible act of love. But I would argue that it is not the greatest act of love. I have many unsaved friends or friends who would tell you they are a Christian but are doing stupid, self-destructive, sinful things. My heart breaks for them everyday. I have cut off friendships because they were not healthy and I was tired of hearing about the things these so-called "christian" friends of mine were doing. But I still love them. I pray for them often and they are always on my mind. Sometimes I get frustrated - with them and with God. Why do they do these things? Don't they see that they are ruining their lives? How can they say they love God and then turn around and act just as the world does? And why won't God work in their hearts to change them? And then I thought, I couldn't be God. God could change them. He could change us all. He could have never given Adam and Eve that one choice in the Garden that cursed all mankind for the rest of our existence until He returns. But He did. He allows us to choose sin, death, eternal punishment and suffering. And you know why? Because He loves us that much. He loves us enough to let us choose. If I were God and could change my friends minds, I would. I wouldn't hesitate for a second. And that's why I don't believe Christ's death on the cross was the ultimate act of love. To me at least, the greatest act of love is the fact that God gives us a choice. He watches as everyday millions of people reject Him and throw their lives away. You hear people complain about the wrong of the world- how could a loving God allow this? But they don't understand that they have answered their own question. He loves us, and so He allows these things because the only way to get rid of sin and pain and death would be to get rid of our freedom to choose wrong. And He loves us too much to do that. You may not agree with this, and I may not even be right, but this is how I see it because if I were God, there would be no choice. To me, the greatest act of love is the freedom God gives us to choose.