In the English language, love is an interesting word. While there’s only one word used to describe it, that word can offer countless implied meanings. For example, I’ve said I love my wife, I love baseball, and I love Pringles chips, but the weight each definition carries varies immensely.
The Greek language is different. It gives several words to describe various types of love. The New Testament, which was written in Greek, sometimes uses the term phileo, which means friendship. It also uses storge, which means affection toward something. Sometimes it uses eros, which is usually used to represent physical intimacy. However, it most-often uses agape—the word used in 1 John 4:8, when it says that God is love.
Agape describes an unconditional, divine, selfless love. Jesus was a perfect example of this type of love. In Matthew 8:1-4, He gives us a beautiful picture of it.
The passage says: “When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. ‘I am willing,’ he said. ‘Be clean!’ Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, ‘See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’”
In this passage, we find four truths about agape love—this real love Jesus is and constantly shows. First, we see that real love is always ready. Jesus wasn’t out looking for a miracle to perform; the leper approached Him. I’m sure He felt exhausted from teaching and traveling, but Jesus still stopped and healed the man. As believers, it’s important that we learn from this, making love not just something we do, but who we are.
This story also shows us that real love is for everyone. In Jesus’ day, once someone contracted leprosy, their community basically considered them dead. They were viewed as outcasts—isolated and looked down upon, but that’s not how Jesus saw them. He touched the leper and healed him, proving that real love is for everyone.
Next, we see that real love is humble. After Jesus healed the leper, He told him not to tell anyone. This makes it clear—Jesus didn’t perform miracles for attention. He wasn’t trying to gain a following. He was simply and humbly doing the Father’s work—loving people—and this is what He commands us all to do as well.
The final takeaway from this passage regarding love is that real love always restores. It leaves peoples’ lives changed—just like Jesus changed the leper’s life that day.
As believers, we have both the incredible opportunity and responsibility to be bearers of God’s kindness, grace, and goodness to those around us. You and I may be the only glimpse of Jesus someone sees today. So let’s make sure they see Him!
