Love

"(44) Love your enemies, bless this who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, (45) that you may be sons of your Father in Heaven - "                                                                            Matthew 5:43-48.  NKJV

There are four categories of love that we need to consider:

1  Storge or Stergein  this means family love- the love of a parent for their child and a child for a parent.
2  Eros  this is the love between the sexes, i.e. passion and sexual love. This later went on to be known as lust.
3  Philia  this is real love and real affection. This describes a person's closest, nearest and truest friend.
4  Agape  "It means that no matter what people do to us, no matter how they treat us, no matter if they insult us, or injure us or grieve us, we will never allow any bitterness against them to invade our hearts, but will regard them with that unconquerable benevolence and goodwill which will seek nothing but there highest good."  (William Barclay)

Agape describes the love that Jesus is speaking about in our text for today. It is worth noting, that Jesus never asked us to love our enemies in the same way as we love our family. This would be neither possible or right, because it is a different kind of love. In order to love our enemies in the Agape way, we have to will ourselves to do it. It doesn't come naturally. Also to pray for those who spitefully use us, would be impossible without us displaying Agape love.

We all have come across the type of people that Jesus is speaking about here. At times, it can be impossible to like them, let alone love them. However, as we operate in Agape love, it becomes more natural. The more we exercise this type of love, the more that we get used to it and, like Jesus, it can become apart of our nature.

This is not easy, as you know. Some people can be so rude and nasty and we have choices to walk away from them or remain. If we choose to remain, it would be counter-productive to fall to their level and start to give them what they are giving us. If that is the case, it would be better to walk away and try again next time, if there is an opportunity. 

It may be foolish to walk into such a position as this. But, it may be unavoidable as we may work with these people; live next door to them or they may even be a part of our family. This type of approach is not matching everything that is thrown against us, but rather attempting to operate in the way Jesus would operate. This is not easy but it must be possible, or Jesus would not have commanded us to do it.

So, if you try and fail; don't beat yourself up, try again another day. That is all Jesus asks.

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com