

Agape love is how God loves each and everyone of us and it is how He wants us to love one another. This kind of love requires sacrifice, whether it is the laying aside of feelings or even a life to show that love. God the Father and His Son, Jesus, are the ultimate example. God let His only Son die on the cross for you and me and our children and Jesus willingly endured the suffering and death because of the Greatest Love.

You feel the philos kind of love towards a friend, a pal, a buddy. I think of Mike and Sully on Monsters, Inc. or Mater and Lightning on Cars! Friendship love comes when people have a bond, often through a common interest or activity. More than companionship, phileo love occurs when the connection is felt strongly.

Storge is a family-type love. While storge love happens naturally among relatives, it also can happen when friends come together to form family-type relationships.

This is the kind of love portrayed most often in chick-flicks and romantic movies of any kind – based on physical attraction and very ooey gooey romantic love. Eros love is not always bad and many times it is the start of a long, beautiful relationship. In fact, God created man and woman to be physically attracted to each other. But eros love cannot and should not stand on its own.

Love. It is the foundation of life. When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment, he responded “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is exactly like it: ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments” – Matthew 22:36-40. Love is the greatest gift we can give. Love is what will make the most difference in our lives.