"Agape doesn't love somebody
because they are worthy.
Agape makes them worthy
by the strength and power of its love.
Agape doesn't love somebody
because they're beautiful.
Agape loves in such a way
that it makes them beautiful."
-- Rob Bell
Agape love is the love of God of us according to the Greek definition used in the Bible. It is the very definition of unconditional love. The Holy Spirit according to my understanding is that invisible entity that is quite real, and when we allow ourselves to be open to it and be touched by it, we are changed forevermore by its unconditional loving touch softening our heart and mind to be more loving and compassionate toward ourselves, as well as toward others. Yet once touched, we may still choose otherwise, because we have free will to do so.
Mark Nepo has a line that I had to write down that to me speaks of the love that is most common, and the agape love that is a challenge to hold on to. He said, "the strong live in the storm without worshiping the storm." I'll let that settle in because it is a very powerful phrase in my mind.
Love is one of the most interesting words in any language because it has so many different contextual meanings. Thousands of movies play with it. We hear it and see it all around us, and yet, almost none of that is agape, or unconditional love. That is because the vast majority of the love in the world is very much conditional.
It is conditional on millions of rules, beliefs, memories, and future projections. It is the kind of love that feels great when things are going well, when passion is in force, when kindness prevails. Think of it as good times love. As long as the times are good, there is love, and when the times are bad, it's everyone for themselves.
Conditional love says that as long as you meet or come very close to my expectations, or match my worldview, I can be open to love you. I am willing to be more vulnerable in loving you. . . until. When that is would be anyone's guess. It could last years, or months, or days. You could easily conclude that it is a temporary love. I give you my love for a while and we'll just see how it goes. I feel your love for me and it feels great and I want it to last forever, but I know deep down it can never last.
Do something that pisses me off, and my love for you is no longer flowing. It is now subject to review. You are now on probation. Make it up to me in the right way, and we can get back into the flow. Maybe. It all depends on the depth of the cut. Some cuts never heal.
Maybe I do something I'm not particularly proud of but I got carried away in the momentary flow of that thing, and now you've found out and no longer love me. I'm deeply hurt and miss you terribly and wish only for your forgiveness and understanding. I didn't mean to hurt you. I was careless for a moment. I am human. I want to make it up to you. Let me make it up to you. I'll be better. I can change. I can be lovable again.
Well, I'm sure you get the drift here. Love as we know it in the world, or as Mark Nepo says, "in the storm," is the way love is in general. We may have learned it from our family, or our peers, or the movies, or high school, but we learned it. It is almost inescapable. But, "the strong live in the storm without worshiping the storm." The world can be as it will, to choose as it will, and it may be very similar to the idea of a storm all around us, yet we are one child of God who can be strong enough, brave enough, open enough, to choose to love without conditions, rules, beliefs. We can choose to think otherwise.
As we are connected (and we are all and always connected) to our Inner Being, or God within, our Christ Consciousness, or whatever label you enjoy using, we can plug into the unconditional love that is God's love for us, and we can share that same unconditional love for others. We can feel its fullness, and express that same love. The more we are a vibrational match to our Inner Being--the more in alignment we are with that higher power within, the more we can sense this magical, marvelous, and miraculous thing called agape.
Just imagine for a time what it would be like if love around the world was truly unconditional. No rules. No hurts. No blame. No failures. Just love with a peace that defies understanding. We get to choose. We get to choose when.
I Have Begun. I Am In Practice. Join Me If You Desire To Do So. So Far, It Is A Most Enlightening And Inspiring Journey.
Spread Some Joy Today--Agape love.
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