Hollywood, Harlequin and Broadway have a name for love. It is invariably romantic and quite often sensual to the max. The homosexual community has a name for love. It is tolerance without any concern for what is right and wrong. That name has been adopted by our culture at large to a great degree. The United Nations has a name for love. It is peace, as in the absence of war.
God has a name for love, too. He calls it agape – the art of self-sacrifice. God’s love gives. It gives for the sake of the object, not for any anticipated return. It is not motivated by selfish desires, and it is the highest expression of affection toward another person. As believers, we are called to reflect God’s love…in our marriages, our families, our church, our neighborhoods, our schools and our workplaces. The world won’t understand it. They have a different view. That’s OK. It just means agape will stand out like a beacon of light on a dark night.
Love, thy name is…agape.