Tuesday, March 3, 2026

Love Defined

Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 13: 4-6 (ESV) – “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.”

1 John 3:1a: (ESV) – “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.”

Message: While in college, an English professor, after hearing the students fuss about never getting to write about something interesting, let them choose the assignment.  They chose “love”.  She handed out little blue project booklets all lined for writing.  With forty-five minutes left in the hour, we wrote.  My writing was on the different kinds of love, as in the love of parents, a potential mate, and the love of God.  My simple words garnered an “A”, but I didn’t know there were special words to define the different “loves”.  Many years would pass; before our chaplain would bring these words to our attention through a sermon.  I went home to do my research.

Agape love: a selfless, unconditional, and sacrificial type of love that is often considered the highest form of love.  Agape is a Greek word that appears in the Bible and in ancient Greek writings.  It means: The Art of Loving Unconditionally.

Philia love: describes the benevolent, kindly love practiced by early Quakers.  The more common form of “philia” is a close friendship, or brotherly love.  The New Testament describes this as the love of a stranger, through food, care or prayer.  Hence Philadelphia – “the city of brotherly love”.

Storge love: from the Bible, (pronounced stor-jay) refers to natural, familial affection like the love between parents and children, or between siblings, characterized by a natural bond.

Eros love: A romantic, passionate love. 

Christ Jesus showed us love while we were strangers.  He gave His life so that we might have life.  We are not asked to sacrifice our life for anyone, just to love one another, show kindness and know that we are all equal in the eyes of the Lord.

Prayer: Loving God, we rejoice in Your love for us, during the good times and the difficult times.  Knowing that Your love for us is endless, help us to see the many ways we can pass it on to others.  In Christ Jesus name we pray.  Amen.

Ann Gile

Sunnyside Chapel, Sarasota, Florida