For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ~ John 3:16
Love is a universal emotion that has captivated the heart of men and women since creation. But love is coveted and devalued at the same time. On a whim, we express our love for our favorite foods and fast cars, celebrities and athletes, designer fashions and social media posts, pets, people, and even God Himself. We often do not grasp the implications of love when we speak or act. Partly because our speech is casual, and we have not been taught to distinguish between various types of love.
The ancient Greeks identified seven distinct types of love, each with unique characteristics and expressions.
- Eros: Romantic or passionate love.
- Philia: Deep friendship and affectionate love.
- Storge: Familial or affectionate love between family members.
- Ludus: Playful or flirtatious love.
- Pragma: Enduring, committed love that develops over time.
- Philautia: Self-love, loving oneself in a healthy and balanced manner.
- Agape: Unconditional, selfless, and Divine love.
In my thirties, I took a lay theology class at Samford University. The class focused on selected works of C. S. Lewis. The professor told us the devil cannot create anything new, but he can persuade us to corrupt what God has given us. Tainted love is one of the devil’s weapons.
During class, as if by divine epiphany, an understanding of love was revealed to me. It ended my struggles with risky, confusing, and unhealthy relationships. I decided to stop rationalizing my pursuit of awful love options. I decided to be intentional and clear when expressing my love—with firm and explicit boundaries.
Recently, during a conversation with a young lady and her mother, the words about love told by my professor years ago came to mind. The young lady defended her behavior with a vivid detailed explanation. Tears rolled down the mother’s cheeks. I prayed to God to help me help them.
The young lady’s words confirmed what I already knew in my heart. Coupled with low self-esteem and dysfunctional ideas about love, no wonder an act of kindness by another person morphed into expressions of eros.
I explained to the young lady that she didn’t need to reciprocate acts of kindness with romantic gestures. I suggested that it would have been appropriate to respond with an offer of friendship based on what she had said. Especially since the other person of her affection felt insulted and shocked by the unwanted advances. At that point, the idea came to me to write about love from a biblical perspective that speaks to teenagers and young adults.
By studying biblical teachings on love, we can gain insights into how to improve our relationships with others and God. I plan to write a book about the seven types of love from this perspective. I will begin chapter one with eros.
God bless… I am Wiley’s granddaughter.
