Free Will

This is not the same as Free Willy.... No whales involved.
Free Will is sometimes called Agency. And some people like to combine both phrases into "Free Agency". But what does this all mean?

Some people define Free Will to mean you can do whatever you want.

Others define Free Will as freedom from compulsion... that is, no one will make you be good, you have to choose it for yourself. 

I think when people talk about Agency, the ability to choose your own path, some get wrapped up in the whole 'my choice' thing rather than it is a path you are choosing. Paths lead somewhere. They have destinations. End results.

Free Will is not a free for all, as some people like to think. It has...dun dun dun.... consequences.

I know. Scary word.

Children and immature adults hate this word. It basically says that with the freedom to choose, you take the consequences that come after those choices.

I had this entirely awesome third grade teacher who taught this concept very well  (I really appreciate him for doing this too, since it has led me to avoid some disastrous situations since). He taught cause and effect. Let's try it now, shall we?

Cause: You stick a fork in a wall socket.
Effect: You get electrocuted.

Cause: You follow the directions on a cake mix box.
Effect: You get a perfectly made cake.

Cause: You ignore the instructions to your pill bottles.
Effect: You overdose, get really sick and probably have to go to the hospital.

Cause: You lie to your family and friends.
Effect: Your family and friends no longer trust you.

Cause: You give a thoughtful gift to someone you love.
Effect: That gift makes the someone you love happy.

Cause: You laugh at and tease and talk about other people.
Effect: People around you don't trust you to do the same to them, and you lose friends.

Cause: You plant seeds in the proper season and care for them.
Effect: You reap the benefits of your hard work and produce food.

This concept is also called the Law of the Harvest or "You reap what you sow."

Now, in my religious denomination we believe there was a war in Heaven and that the Adversary was already defeated. God won. And what is going on in our life is not God fighting for our souls, but us choosing which side we want to be on. We are choosing to be on the side of God (who has already won), or the side of the devil (who has lost and will perpetually lose...and wishes to drag us down with him).

For example, free agents in sports are basically athletes who are open for hire to be on any team that wants them. They negotiate contracts with their future employers and then work for them. In a way, this is also how Free Will works. You choose the team you are on.

So, when you make a choice, remember, with every choice you make, you are also choosing the end result.