Where there is love, there is God
What is love, in the sense above? It is not affection, or storge in the Greek. Neither is it philia, brotherly or familial love. And it is not eros, or sexual love. All of these loves make our lives rich and joyful when they are present. And, indeed, God does inhabit all of these loves to bind us closer together with one another. But taken alone, without agape, God's own love, the first three are not enough to hold us together in the face of storms and conflicts.
When the Christ was born, the angels sang, "Peace on the earth, good will to man." An alternate reading is "Peace on the earth to men of good will." Either reading emphasizes the nature of agape---good will.
Although "good will" sounds to our ears to be somewhat weaker than affection, brotherly love, and eros, in fact, "good will," or agape is the strongest of all loves. It does not depend on being attracted to someone, or being comfortable and familiar with another person, or on being one of the other person's "posse" or "tribe" or family. Good will toward another is not affected by the other person's behavior; it is more like the scent of violets or mint: when stepped upon and crushed, violets and mint release the most wonderful scents. In the same way, those who have in them agape, or God's love, continue to have good will towards those who injure them. That is, they do not wish harm to the other person, but continue to hope that God will favor and bless the person who did them harm.
Even while hurting from the blows of another, agape is patient and long-suffering; it blesses and does not curse; it still hopes for the best, and believes that conversion is possible for the other person. It prays for those who persecute it and sincerely hopes that God will hear.
Forgiveness does not mean not hurting; it means to put no obstacle to God's blessing on the other person. Surely that is what Jesus meant by the seed falling into the ground and dying, and bearing much fruit. Even while I feel like I am being stabbed to death by another, I continue to bless: possible only by the Presence of the Christ within us.
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