THE EIGHT WORDS FOR LOVE!

 

Ancient Greek has eight different words for love or eight different feelings of love towards another. The first one on my list is Agape Love which has to do with unconditional, divine and selfless ways of love towards another.

 

The second on my list is Storge; having an undying affection towards another. The third on my list is Phila or Phileo which talks about feelings of friendship towards another; the reason this is mostly called platonic is because Plato sighted that physical attraction was not an essential part of love, which is why the word Platonic is mostly used or “without physical attraction.”!

 

Now, to the fourth ancient Greeks word for love, Pragma which talks about a committed and long-standing kind of love. The Fifth one on my list is philautia which talks about self-love or self-centred. The sixth one on my list is the Ludus which talks about flirting, uncommitted, casual and playful feelings!

 

The seventh one on my list is Mania which talks about obsessive, possessive, dependent and addictive feelings. And the last one on my list is the Eros which talks about the sexual or erotic feelings towards the opposite sex.

 

 

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Love is “a feeling or disposition of deep affection or fondness for someone, typically arising from a recognition of attractive qualities, from natural affinity, or sympathy and manifesting itself in concern for the other’s welfare and pleasure in his or her presence (distinguished from sexual love at sense); great liking, strong emotional attachment…”

 

I have had the opportunity to speak with a lot of people from different backgrounds, religions and cultures about love. Most of them easily said with all conviction that love is a very complex subject to talk about. Some of them even told me that there is nothing like true love anywhere! For those of you who are enjoying true love, you may not fault them for speaking probably based on their experiences!

 

However, the life of Jesus gave us the true meaning of love and what Agape love is all about. He Gave Himself as a substitute for our sins, death and taught us everything we need to know about love. He taught us to know that love is undeserving and often unreciprocated. Love is generous, self-sacrificing, and unending and it’s not a temporal attraction or feeling. “Greater love has no one than this than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:13

 

The world may continue to revise their notes about love, true love can only be found in God. An understanding of true love can only be known when you allow yourself to receive the love of God in your life.

 

A child of God should be able to know a relationship that is built on Eros (sexual feelings), Philautia(self Centrered), Mania (obsession) and Ludus (uncommitted feelings) from an Agape love or true love. Remember our major text for today which says that love does not seek its own!

 

 

 

The Bible tells us that God is love, He is an example of love. We should see love by what the Bible says love is and by what God demonstrate to us about love. The source of true love is God Himself. “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

 

If we accept that the only true love is what God shows to us in the Bible then every other word for love like Eros, Philautia, Mania and Ludus is not true love. You may tell me that among the ancient Greek’s eight words for love, a feeling like Storge, Philia, or Pragma has an element of true love or Agape love in them! Of course, they can have elements of true love if they have their root in God. Among the eight words of love, the Agape love can’t be put in comparison with the rest seven because it’s God’s love.

 

 

God’s love is extravagant, priceless, self-sacrificing, generous, boundless, measureless and unconditional. “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” 1 John 3:1

 

You may change a million times towards God, but His love towards you remains the same. God loved you before you became a Christian. His love for you has not diminished because of what you have done or what you refused to do.  “Through the Lord’s mercies, we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. Lamentation 3:22-23

 

The love of God extends to the homeless, the prisoners, the sick and even those who are misleading people against the word of God.

 

God’s love most times, comes through people and things you may never see. He loves us so much that He sent His son Jesus Christ to die and save all people from sins. “In this, the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him” 1 John 4:9-10

 

The gift of Christ is proof of God’s love. His love is not based on what you do or don’t do; It’s unconditional! You have a lover in God. It’s so special to be rooted and grounded in God’s love! 

 

 

On one of Jesus’s engagements with the crowd, a teacher of the law asked Jesus,  “Which is the first commandment of all?”   

 

Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31

 

A certain lawyer also asked Jesus who is our neighbour? Jesus told them about a parable of a certain man who was attacked by thieves, his clothes were taken, wounded and was left half dead. A certain priest came down that road but refused to help, Likewise, a Levite who looked and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan came, had compassion and took care of him. 

 

Jesus asked him “So which of these three do you think was neighbour to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke10:36-37

 

Jesus has so much love in His heart for you, be the extension of that love. The world needs the Agape love or true love which can only be found in God. There are many ways God can touch lives through you with His love…  “And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.” 1John 4:21

Too often, we only want to associate with people just like us, people of the same personality type. God allow different people to come our way for a reason, His love is inclusive and not exclusive. People may not come from the same faith as us, but that doesn’t permit us to snub them “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honour giving preference to one another; Romans 12:10

 

Finally, there may be eight words for love but one stands out among all. The Agape love is true love and you can only get it from God. It can only be accessible by those who are born again. I mean those who have allowed the Holy Spirit to renew their heart for God and the things of God.

 

Let your love reach out to people you may not naturally choose as friends… You don’t have to agree with everything about them but show them acceptance and God’s love.

 

The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace (Amen) Numbers 6:24-26