As many of us have been told in various teachings, there are multiple different words translated “love” in the Bible. There is eros, which is a lustful physical kind of love; there is philia, which is a brotherly love between believers; and there is storge, which is a familial kind of love such as that which a parent has for their child. The greatest of the words used for love, though, is agape, which is that unconditional, self-sacrificial love that God has for us and that was on full display in Christ’s death on the cross for us – the most costly and valuable love known to mankind, and we who love Christ rejoice in this love He has for each of us! Oh, what a wonder it is…

This self-sacrificing love of Christ is what we are called as believers to share with one another, and, while that is impossible apart from the empowering of His Holy Spirit, we see an example of it through Paul in 1 Thessalonians 3, in his sending Timothy to the Thessalonians in his stead. You would ask, “How so?” Well, I see it this way… Paul sent Timothy to minister to the Thessalonians and be his “ambassador” of agape love even though it meant:

1) He would be left alone in a “hostile” environment without the one person he describes in this way: “I have no one more like-minded with me…” than Timothy. It is a rare relationship and a huge blessing to be able to work in ministry with someone who is to you as Timothy is to Paul. This must have been a huge sacrifice to Paul and motivated by one thing – his great (agape) love for the Thessalonians.

2) Not only would Paul be left alone, he was sending away his co-worker in ministry. It is one thing to be alone, it is completely another thing to endure the sacrifice of sending away your co-worker in ministry. One of the things I have learned in ministry is God many times calls us to send out our “best and brightest” – nothing is harder in ministry to do on that front, to send out one who is a valued co-laborer in Christ.

3) Not only those two things, but Paul was sending away his “brother,” as he described Timothy elsewhere, and his “true child in the faith” as he described him in 1Timothy 1:2. Having sent my son and daughter-in-law to Kenya, I can tell you sending “family” is not easy, but it does say something about your love for those you send them to. “If I can’t go and share my love with them, I will send someone who has and knows my heart…” I can hear Paul saying!

4) Lastly, Paul had been “hindered” by Satan from going to see the Thessalonians (2:18), so he had a choice – find another way to send his love and care to them, or wait until he could go. No one would have blamed him or thought ill of him if he had kept Timothy with him and waited. He could have defended it by saying he could minister more effectively if Timothy remained, and everyone would have agreed. But that is not how Paul thought, and it is not how Paul behaved. He consistently chose what was best for others even at his own expense, with no regard for himself. He chose to give up, for a time, a true source of joy, hope, consolation, companionship, and ministry-partnership for the sake of sending the same to Thessalonians.

And there it is… my simple definition of agape love on full display through the life of Paul – wanting the best for others even at my great expense. Christ’s love for us cost Him everything, but He knew that it was for our best, and He willingly paid the ultimate price with His very life. It so reminds me of the passage in Hebrews 12 describing Christ’s sacrifice, “… Who, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame…” Finishing the work the Father had sent Him to do, going to the cross, that you and I might be saved – accomplishing our salvation, that we might be saved – was the joy set before Him… Christ found joy in His sacrifice – amazing!

Oh that I could follow the example of Christ, that others would see in me the self-sacrificial love I see in the Apostle Paul’s life. How about you – do you desire that?

Until next time… agape!