Agape Love: Every Life Matters

God loves all people. Period. 

This month, we are looking at four different types of love: philia, agape, storge, and eros. This week, let's explore the concept of agape love and what that means for us. In response to this blog post, I encourage each of us (myself included) to be more intentional with how we treat each other. After you finish reading this blog, please share a comment below with how you have seen agape love in your own life. 

As a group, Native American Indians have been treated poorly. They have been persecuted, attacked, and hunted with the purpose of genocide and extermination. This week, I am sharing God’s love story for the whole human race. Each and every single one of us was created in His image.

Delmas “Cactus” Traversie, Jr. and Carmen Charger were murdered in March 2019. This is an unsolved case that has received very little attention. The brutal attack took place during a snow storm in Eagle Butte, South Dakota. With very little information about this case online, it appears as if their lives did not matter, but they did in-fact matter. So, if you have information about this double murder, please reach out to the FBI @ 763-569-8000. 

As I questioned why there is so little information on the murder investigation, I am quickly reminded of Bryan Laundrie and Gabby Petito's story. When Gabby went missing in August 2021, the entire world took notice. Her body was found September 19th in Wyoming. In fact, many American’s were mesmerized with the case that lasted months until the body of Brian Laundrie was found October 22nd in Florida. 

So, what was different between these two cases? Why were Bryan and Gabby in the spotlight while Delmas and Carmen were not? 

A report by the Urban Indian Health Institute revealed 5,712 Indigenous women or girls were reported missing or murdered in 2016, but only 116 of them were logged with the Department of Justice database. As for media coverage, they investigated 506 cases for media coverage and found that only 129 of the 506 cases were in the news at least one time. This is so unbelievably sad to hear, and it is exactly what happened with the case for Delmas and Carmen. It is just not getting the news coverage that it deserves. The lack of media coverage here does not help the fact that the murder rate of native women is 10 times the national average, and homicide is a leading cause of death for Indigenous women ages 10-24. 

Many people feel like they have been dealt a bad hand in life. They feel like they are discriminated against because of the color of their skin, their ethnicity, or their gender. It is unfortunate that this is the way life is for many people. It is certainly not the way God intended life to be. Satan, on the other hand, loves to get in to our business and stir things up. Let us recognize the work of the evil one in our life that is resulting in this hate, incivility, harassment, and discrimination, and rebuke him in the name of Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:23). We shall unite as Christians and stumble no more. It is time for us to throw away the cards we were dealt with in life and start fresh with God’s plan, as a family united in pursuit of Christ. 

God created people in his image (Genesis 1:26-27). His perfect plan is that we look like Him. If we look at another human being as if we are looking at the face of God, would that change the way we treat one another? 

The reality is that we were created by God as a perfect masterpiece (Ephesians 2:1). Our body is not our own – it is God’s temple where he dwells (1 Corinthians 6:19). He has a plan for each one of us (Jeremiah 29:11). When we stop and consider that God is with us, has a plan for us, and created us intentionally just the way we are, I believe we can start to treat ourselves and others better. Don't you agree?

1 Corinthians 13 is the “Way of Love” Pericope. At the end of the chapter, it says, “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Agape love is the highest type of love. 

Agape is a noun; whereas agapao is a verb. Scripture references that use agape as a noun include; “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ” (Romans 8:35) and “God is love” (1 John 4:8). Scripture using agapao as a verb include; “You shall love the Lord, your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30) and “Men loved darkness rather than light” (John 3:19). In other words, we must know of love before we can show love to others!

Agape love is the type of love that repays evil with good. It is the type of love that has no expectations and does not need to be reciprocal. In many forms of love, such as; A parent and child, friendship, or a husband and wife, if one person in the relationship disappoints the other or says a cursed word towards the other, that love flame can be diminished, even if only for a moment. Agape love will stand the test of time; whereas other types of love can end with broken relationships and broken hearts. 

God, on the other hand, provides unending and selfless love. There are no strings attached. He loves us despite our failures and sinful nature. From a human perspective, this type of love reminds me of the prodigal son. In Luke 15:11-32, we see a man with two sons. One of them thought he could do better without his family and left (living a wild lifestyle). Once he had squandered his money, he found himself eating with farm animals. He thought he would return to his father and ask to be a hired hand because he knew that his father took care of his employees and they never went hungry. In his mind, the son thought of all he would say to his father. He would ask for forgiveness and even acknowledge that he had sinned. He would say that he is not worthy to be called a son. As he approached his father’s house, he was seen from a distance and the father requested the best robe and shoes for his feet. He asked for jewelry and a feast for celebration. This image of a father awaiting the arrival of his son with open arms is so heartwarming. I can only imagine that is what heaven will be like as we enter the presence of our heavenly father and he stands ready and waiting. 

Happy Valentine’s Day! I pray that today and every day we will treat each other better as we see God in our encounters with other people more often. Let’s slow down and see the beauty that God created in each and every single person… His perfect masterpiece, made in His image.