I'm no theologian and certainly am no Greek scholar yet I live in a world that is clearly both self oriented and self destructive. I am not naive to believe this has only been the case in my lifetime yet, in my interaction with other in my job, both patients and colleagues, I believe I am seeing it more and more each passing year.
Eros or erotic themes are an important part of Greek literature from at least 600 B.C. till as late as 400 A.D. They appear in myths, lyric poetry, epic, tragedy, comedy, epigrams, philosophical debates, biography, and literary discussions. Often related specifically to male-male relationships in the oldest Greek literature but the point of the term was self indulgence or love for the sake of ones self. In our society today I believe it is this definition of love that most of society uses, even at the wedding alter. If you "Google" the Greek word Eros, you get over 4 million hits. If you actually "Google" the work erotic you get over 7 million hits (don't do this at work unless you want the IT police to come looking for you) but when you "Google" the word Agape you get 500,000 hits and 250,000 hits for "unconditional love". A large number but only an eighth or less than Eros, not to mention erotic.
The word Agape means so much more than unconditional love. In our society it is hard to define unconditional because so much is relative. It is servitude or sacrificial love.
The word agape was rarely used in literature, especially not as a central theme until after the coming of Christ. Duh!! In a profound moment, I realized that God sent his son into the world to redefine love, literally. He wanted us to stop loving for the sake of ourselves and start loving for the sake of others. The bible does not always state this so matter of fact in every verse but the theme of the new testament is agape love, grace, service by a man who for no other reason but love.
Mark 10:45 states, For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
This was profound to the Jewish community who had no idea that the intent of there messiah was to come and serve. He was simply to deliver them and put them in charge of everything.
In Mark 12:30, 31 Jesus restates two old testament commands that he labels central to all scripture. In this he is clearly turning around what the world has been practicing.
He restates what is written in Deuteronomy and Leviticus: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength'. The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself'.
Imagine, in this world today (including myself) if we could actually love others equal to ourselves. Wow, what a new world we would live in.
I am a wretched man. How have I let the cold stay cold, the hungry stay hungry and the poor stay poor.
I pray that the Lord God will not only forgive me but fill my heart with his Holy Spirit and make me clean and full of grace. I desire a grace that is exploding out of my heart and out of my mouth. Lord, please forgive me of being blind to the outcasts of the world. Open my eyes to the people who walk through the night to stay warm, those who eat what I throw away and those who have no family during this holiday season.
God bless Roscoe, Pam, Derick, Cheralyn, and Carl. We love them all so much. They have suffered much and will find much reward. May we all be so fortunate to have the reward that God has in store for them.
Please pray for Pam and Derick as they have made some difficult and probably poor decisions the last couple months and will have to overcome the consequences but I know through prayer, God will continue to hold them close and keep the enemy from the final victory.
