Patrick Atkinson
© 1978, 2003
www.GodsChild.org
can give you life,
- I
but I can’t live it for you. I can give you instructions, but I can’t tell you where to go. I can give you liberty, but I can’t help you to protect it. I can teach you the difference between good and bad, but I can’t make the decision for you. I can give you advice, but I can’t accept it for you. I can give you love, but I can’t force you to receive it. I can teach you to share, but I can’t stop you from being selfish. I can teach you to respect, but I can’t make you be respected. I can counsel you about your friends, but I can’t choose them for you. I can teach you everything you need to know about sex, but I can’t make you act responsibly. I can talk to you about drinking, but I can’t say "no" or "just one" for you. I can warn you about drugs, but I can’t stop you from using them. I can talk to you about having important goals, but I can’t achieve them for you. I can teach you about charity, but I can’t make you be generous. I can pray for you, but I can’t make you walk with God. I can talk to you about how to live, but I can’t give you eternal life. W
hen everything is said and done, everybody decides for him or herself how they will live their life. I love you, I accept you, and I hope with all my heart that you make the right decisions.
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