I posted this picture on Facebook the other day and to my chagrin a political discussion arose.
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. -
1 Peter 4:8 (NIV)
Or as The Message paraphrase says it
Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything.
- 1 Peter 4:8
Love in our politically charged world can be tough. Love who? love them? Love those with different opinions? political views? different skin colors? Nationalities? etc. etc. Love with conditions. It shouldn’t be this hard.
Jesus Christ said “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:12-13
Jesus also called it the Greatest Commandment
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” – Matthew 22:34-40
In these verses Jesus is using the Greek work agápē.
But now Back to Peter, when he wrote love each other deeply, he is also using the Greek work agápē.
From Moody:
There are four words in the Greek language for “love.” Stergein (Στεργειν) is a love that has its basis in one’s own nature. It speaks of the constitutional efflux of natural affection. Eran (Ἐραν) is a love that has its basis in passion, and its expression takes the form of a blind impulse produced by passion. Philaid (Φιλειν) is a love that has its basis in pleasurableness, and is the glow of the heart kindled the perception of that in the object loved which affords one pleasure. Agapan (Ἀγαπαν) is a love that has its basis in preciousness, a love called out of one’s heart by an awakened sense of value in the object loved that causes one to prize it.
Peter is not exhorting us to love on a superficial level, wondering what’s in it for us or base in feelings and emotions. He’s asking us to go all in.
The website https://totescute.com/four-types-of-love-greek-style/ has a nice definition of Agape love.(Note, when I Googled the website some links were NSFW or kids
"Agape is an unconditional love that sees beyond the outer surface and accepts the recipient for whom he/she is, regardless of their flaws, shortcomings or faults. It’s the type of love that everyone strives to have for their fellow human beings. Although you may not like someone, you decide to love them just as a human being. This kind of love is all about sacrifice as well as giving and expecting nothing in return. The translation of the word agape is love in the verb – form: it is the love demonstrated by your behavior towards another person. It is a committed and chosen love."
Agape love takes work and effort. I know I don’t get it right often. But I’m going to try to get it right.
How long 'til my soul gets it right?
Could any human being ever reach that kind of light? – Galileo, Indigo Girls
I won’t always agree with my family, friends, and colleagues, those I see in person and on social media, all the time. Heck, I won’t always like them. But I can strive to keep it simple and always love (agape)
