The Greatest of These Is Love

     It’s that time again! It’s the time of the year when stores, television, and all forms of media begin to push the idea that for one day we should all act as if we love each other. They tell us to buy candy, valentines, flowers, gift certificates to show that we love each other for at least one day. For many people it is a day of truce, in which they put aside themselves and express loving feelings for another person. Thankfully, for many people the spirit of Valentine’s Day, the genuine expression of love, continues long after the candy has been eaten and the flowers have wilted.

      C.S. Lewis in his book, Four Loves, describes love by the use of four Greek words with which many are familiar. Lewis discusses the common faces of love referred to as philia or phileo, eros, and storge. Each is vital to grow human relationships, and flow as gifts from the hand of God who loves us. Lewis then brings us to the greatest of all loves, the agape love, which is characterized by being unconditional. Agape love is the very nature of God and flows into the hearts of true followers of Christ. It is unselfish Christian love as taught by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. When Jesus preached that powerful sermon, he had some radical things to say about our dealings with others. Because of agape love, we love those who hate us and we do good to those who are trying to tear us down. This kind of love is summed up in the great love chapter written by the Apostle Paul, 1Corinthians 13. This chapter tells us how we will “walk our faith” if we are filled with love from the heart of God.

      Love is the glue that holds relationships together, churches together, and nations together. Biblically, love is caring more for another person than we care for ourselves. It is love that continues even when it is not reciprocated. It is sacrificial and extended even to enemies. This kind of love originates only from a God full of grace and mercy—a God who is love. This is not about going to church or “having religion.” Religion can be just as disruptive as any other force in life. This is about knowing God in an intimate way. Knowing our God who revealed himself in Jesus Christ and enabled Jesus to love in such a way that he could pray for the men who crucified him saying, “Father, forgive them.” When we turn our face toward God, we turn our face toward love.

      Let’s enjoy the candy, cards, flowers, and the special dinners, but let’s also remember that underneath all of these expressions of love, God expects much more. He wants to put that deep agape love into our lives that determines how we treat each other, and how we treat him.

       “Love is patient, love is kind, it isn't jealous, it doesn't brag, it isn't arrogant; it isn't rude, it doesn't seek its own advantage, it isn't irritable, it doesn't keep a record of complaints, it isn't happy with injustice, but it is happy with the truth. Love puts up with all things, trusts all things, hopes for all things, endures all things. Love never fails. Now faith, hope, and love remain---these three things—but the greatest of these is love.”

Rev Tim McConnell Long’s Chapel UMC February 17, 2013