What if love in a family was real, warm, and sincere, but not meant for everyone in the room?

This illustration shows a household where one child is openly loved, welcomed, and affirmed, while the other is quietly ignored. Nothing harsh is said. No punishment happens. The difference is simply who receives attention and who does not. The picture presses on a Calvinist idea by showing how love can be selective, intentional, and unequal, even while remaining calm and orderly.

At its core, this illustration is trying to present Calvinism clearly, not unfairly. The parents are not confused, angry, or inconsistent. They are calm, stable, and morally justified in their authority. The home is warm. The family functions normally. The tension in the story does not come from injustice or ignorance of sin, but from selective relationship. In that sense, the illustration aims to reflect Calvinism honestly.

1. Existence does not imply saving relationship (Creation vs Election)
In the illustration, both Johnny and James live in the same house and exist under the care of the same parents. James is not portrayed as perfect or deserving. He is simply present. This reflects the Calvinist belief that all people are created by God and exist under His authority, yet only some are chosen for salvation. Calvinism does not teach that the unelect are innocent. It teaches that all are sinful and guilty. Romans 9:21–22 is often used to show that God creates people for different purposes, and John 1:12–13 distinguishes between being born into the world and being adopted as a child of God. Existence establishes accountability, not entitlement.

2. Sonship and saving love are optional, not owed (Unconditional Election)
Johnny’s gratitude for being chosen does not imply that James deserved to be chosen and was unfairly denied. In Calvinism, no one deserves saving love. Election is not owed to anyone because all are fallen. The parents’ choice to love Johnny in a special way is an act of grace, not justice. Their decision not to choose James is therefore morally justified, even if emotionally difficult. Calvinists commonly appeal to Romans 9:11–16 to show that God’s mercy is free and undeserved, and Ephesians 1:4–5 to show that adoption flows from God’s will, not human worth. The illustration assumes guilt, not innocence.

3. Special love is selective, not shared equally (Particular Love)
The parents’ focused love toward Johnny does not deny that James is sinful or responsible for his own wrongdoing. Calvinism affirms that all people sin willingly and are accountable for their sin. What distinguishes Johnny is not better behavior, but the reception of grace. The illustration reflects the Calvinist belief that God has a particular, saving love for the elect that He does not extend to the unelect, even though both are guilty. Texts like John 10:14–15, Matthew 1:21, and Ephesians 5:25 are often cited to show that Christ’s saving love is directed toward a specific people, not humanity without distinction.

4. Separation is the result of non-election, not injustice (Passing Over with Justification)
In the final panel, James is alone and separated, not because he is morally neutral, but because he remains in his guilt. Calvinism teaches that God is just to pass over sinners, since condemnation is deserved. Romans 9:18 is often cited to show that God’s mercy is selective, and that hardening is righteous. 1 Peter 2:8 speaks of those who stumble as appointed, and John 6:37 and 6:44 emphasize that only those drawn by God will come. The illustration does not portray James as a victim of injustice, but as a sinner who does not receive mercy.

This illustration does not argue that Calvinism is unfair by denying sin or guilt. It grants Calvinism its moral claim: that God is justified in not saving everyone. The question it leaves with the viewer is not whether God has the right to judge sinners, but whether this picture of selective mercy, unequal love, and intentional silence is the best reflection of God’s character as revealed in Scripture, and whether it is a vision of divine love one is willing to affirm.