4 Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. 5 Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. 6 Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. 7 Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.

8 Love never stops loving. It extends beyond the gift of prophecy, which eventually fades away. It is more enduring than tongues, which will one day fall silent. Love remains long after words of knowledge are forgotten. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, TPT

Father, Son, and Spirit love me
This I know;
But, godly love differs from what
Family and friends show.

I’ve known all too well humanity’s
Distinctive loves;
Natural, instinctual, familial – storgē,
That fits like gloves;
Friendly, brotherly familiarity – philía,
Full of goodwill;
Healthy/unhealthy self-love – philautía,
Troubling twin bill;
Insatiable, sensual – éros; flirting, teasing – ludus,
Stronger than lust;
Manipulative, controlling, – mania
Obsessively robust.

But, Godhead’s Agápe eclipses familial love,
As storgē is mere fondness—
The type familiarity births, and friendly love
Or philía is deep kindness—
Allegiance associated with companionship,
Dependability and trust;
Agápe outshines storgē and philía because
It’s radical, universal, just;
An altruistic—selfless, non-exclusive—love
That can’t snub anyone;
Free, perfect, blissful, committed love, never
Understated nor overdone;
Agápe seeks no reciprocity or ties of filiation
Craves no fame, pleasure;
Not narcissistic, selfish, platonic or romantic
Produces no puny treasure;
Creates no wrong friendships or relationships
Isn’t a playful love;
Not expressed as sociable banter, laughter, affection
Like puppy love;
Is neither irrational nor sexual, yet it’s intimate
Committed, enduring;
Similar to but different from the pragma kind of love
That is so alluring.

For sure Agápe is unconditional and sacrificial love
That’s practical;
Like pragma, Agápe is dependable and longstanding,
Never cynical;
Arouses hope and desire to make commitment work,
Always responsible.

Father, Son, and Spirit freely given Agápe love
This I know;
Unknown is pragma human love happily married
Couples show;
Compared to sexual attraction, everyday love is
More preponderant;
Favors one another’s qualities, compatibilities—love
Downright tolerant;
Godhead’s superior Agápe is altruistic but pragma
Makes relationships last;
Partners work together for marital permanence,
Emotionally steadfast;
Empathetic, cooperative, caring, selfless human love—
Weathers every forecast.
This I wish I knew.

– by Nadine Drayton Keen, created September 4, 2018