We love our children, spouses, parents and other family members and friends too. We would love to win the lottery or to go on our dream vacation, and if we had just the right amount of time, we could do the very thing we've always dreamed of doing, and love every minute of it. If we can get a glimpse of this very special love, then we have a better chance of fulfilling the role of loving that God has for us. The kind of love we have for pizza isn t the same kind of love we have for our children.
Love falls in different categories.
Two kinds of love that are generally distinguished from one another are phileo and agape, both words coming from the Greek. Phileo means to be fond of or have affection for. This is the kind of love we are referring to when we talk about loving food, sports, songs, etc. Agape, however, is the highest, dearest form of love, indicative of benevolence and charity. This is the kind of love God has for us, and this is the kind of love we experience with our spouse, children, close friends and family, as well as for God himself.