What is Love Anyway?

I love my daughter. She is three years old and the sweetest, dearest gift from God that I can imagine.

There is a standing rule in our house that she can only have two cookies after dinner. One night she snuck back into the kitchen just before bedtime and snuck a bunch of cookies. We caught her with the chocolate on her teeth and crumbs all over her.

I took her to her room and asked her what she had been doing.

"I wanted more cookies," she said.

"Do you remember that you are not allowed to have more cookies after your two?" I asked.

"Yes, daddy, but they are really good."

I answered, "I know they are sweetie, but you disobeyed mommy and daddy. And you know when you disobey that we discipline you."

"But I'm a little bit scared…"

"Don't be scared, honey. I just want God's best for you. And when you disobey us, that's not God's best."

"But don't you love me, Daddy?"

"Oh yes!" I said, "I do love you! And that's why I have to discipline you - to teach you what's right and what's wrong, and what is God's very best for you."

It is agonizing to discipline my daughter. I'd love to give her every cookie she ever wants to eat in life. But because I love her, I teach her the difference between right and wrong; I teach her to obey her parents and God; and I teach her that there is a good and right time to eat her cookies.

If I truly love her, how could I do anything less?