Agape Part 2

How do we get there? We trust… we distrust … we trust again…and again, until we know that we know we are loved.

Twice Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him using the word Agape (a selfless love). Peter obviously in light of his most recent failure was somewhat insecure with the question and couldn’t respond in the affirmative. He responded with “Lord, you know all things, you know that I love you like a brother.” He used the word phileo, a nice word for love but not the response Jesus was wanting. I find it interesting that the third time Jesus posed the question He himself lowered the ante. “Peter, Do you love me as a brother?” I think Jesus was and is still looking for agape in all of us…but some how He is OK with us in the process. As I mentioned, I am along way off it seems from agape myself. I believe that He is Love (agape) and that I am in the process of becoming Love (agape). I think He is OK with that in me as well.

It is also interesting that the Lord didn’t shame Peter. I think Jesus liked the honesty and lack of pretense in Peter’s answer and thus rephrased the question using the lesser form of the word love. But Jesus three times asked him to feed His sheep. That was going to take a lot of love, brotherly phileo love and selfless agape love. He was looking down the road a way with great expectations and would not be disappointed.

Jesus seemed OK with the insecurity He was getting from Peter as to the question of Love because He saw down the road and knew that this relationship of trust was maturing and at some point Peter’s love would also mature into agape. He was able to look down the road and saw complete selfless love in the way Peter would chose to be crucified. He explained to Peter that at his death he would be led where he didn’t want to go, indicating the type of selfless death by which Peter would glorify God. (side note- it appears there is a kind of death that brings glory to God)

Here is the point I think Jesus is making about all of us but especially me. He loves me like I am, not like I should be and will be. He loves sinners, He really does. He loves sinners because He knows He is the antidote for their sin and our relationship will mature into the full grown relationship of loving sons and daughters that He dreamed of long before we were born.

It is so like the story of the time the prostitute came in during lunch and broke the perfume vial and anointed Jesus feet and the other one about and her washing Jesus feet and drying them with her hair. The Bible doesn’t let us in on her motives. It seems her motives were obvious to every one in the room except Jesus. We do know that the disciples’ motives often weren’t pure as the wind driven snow. They all had ulterior motives and grandiose ideas about their futures. Would it be unreasonable to assume that maybe her motives weren’t as well? She was a new believer and follower of Jesus. She had obviously been blown away by Him, God in disguise. She had experienced love like she had never known before in her whole life. This man was different than all of the others. I don’t know what her motives were. But she was on the journey of her life and all she wanted was Jesus. She didn’t care what any one thought or said. She lavished her love on Him.

I am thinking Jesus wasn’t overly concerned what her motives were. It was a non issue. She was learning about love, the most powerful force in the universe. Immaturity is such a non issue. God loves all of us as we are and even our failures or immaturity don’t disqualify us. Jesus thoroughly loves us while in the thick and the thin of our lives. It is very interesting that whatever her motives were, this act was not looked on disparagingly by the master. He was more than OK with it. He highly praised her for her shameless display of affection.

I picture the Father hanging my pimply faced picture on His fridge next to His Son… anticipating, child, friend, bride.