It’s Valentine’s Day and the world is focusing on “romance.” Romance is a very nice special treat, but I’m not sure romance has the power to carry us through when the going gets rough. Those times need something a little stronger…something like “agape” love.
Paul’s words on love to the problematic church at Corinth are probably the best written. You’ll find them in 1 Corinthians 13. I am sure they are familiar to you but it’s good to read them again. Today’s a good day to do so.
Those middle verses speak the most to me. They are especially convicting when you realize that the word Paul uses in this passage for love, “agape,” is the same word Jesus used when He told us to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” in His Sermon on the Mount (so that we might be children of our Father God). [Matthew 5:44]
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” [v4-7 NKJV]
It is easy to love our friends and loved ones this way, but our enemies? Did Jesus really mean we were to express this “agape” love to those politicians who are set on destroying the church? Did He mean us to “agape” love those on social media who revile us for our views? Well, I guess if we’d call them an “enemy” then, yes, He did.
As James reminds us, our anger is not going to bring about that righteous life that God desires in anyone.
But our “agape” love just might! [James 1:20]
