This is actually a pretty funny title for a chapter. On one hand, we could make a list a kilometer long of what God is not. On the other hand, if God is not all of those things, why list them? So, this is just an exercise to help us know what God is, and what God is not. That way we can have a better relationship with God.

God is not human. Because God is not human, God does not have emotions! Having said that God is not human really puts an end to much more discussion about what God is not! Yes, we have said that God is loving, but that is our interpretation for how God treats us. God treats us with respect, loyalty, devotion, faithfulness, recognition, acceptance, appreciation, generosity, kindness, validation, discretion, patience, forbearance, forgiveness, authenticity, vulnerability, genuineness, and by listening, supporting, and many more. God is good, and that is how I would identify someone as being loving.

When you pour your heart out to God about some situation where you are hurt, embarrassed, or have been foolish, God does not slap your face and say, “You stupid kid!” No, that is not God. That’s not God as I know God.

Think of God as you would a good neighbor you have never met and don't ever see, but whose presence is very evident in many intriguing ways. Suppose she quietly planted flower bulbs and seeds in the fall, which in the spring surprised you with blooming flowers. Suppose she quietly arranged it so that you got the right job that helped you fulfill your family's needs. Suppose she was able to put you into situations where you had to grow, and though the times were rough, you were glad you had gone through them because you had grown. And suppose she was able to mysteriously answer your sincere requests that were in keeping with your highest good. If you had a neighbor like that, you would interpret his or her actions as "loving." Think of God as a neighbor who is eternally, universally, unconditionally, and unlimitingly generous and “good." We interpret God's unlimited and unconditional benevolent behavior toward us as "loving."

You may wonder why I wrote that paragraph using “she” and “her” as someone who is feminine, even though we have already discovered that God is not male or female. I did so to help you to see God in different ways. And, it makes the story a bit more life-like to use words that portray God as being a good neighbor.