Agape in GARY CHAPMAN’s “Love as a Way of Life”

In those places where Gary Chapman uses ‘love’ to convey a spiritual meaning, in his book Love as a Way of Life, I changed ‘love’ to ‘agape.’ The clear illustration for why I can make this change is shown in the following first quote.

      "It is God's agape that we seek to share, not a love manufactured on our own. It is God's Spirit who pours agape into us and enables us to give to others.
      “Agape will follow us into eternity. In a world gone mad with greed and hate, how wonderful to know agape never ends — and what a privilege to be able to show agape to other people every day.

      “When we welcome others in agape, no matter what they have done, we demonstrate the agape of God — that changes lives.

      “Generosity comes not from a desire to be rewarded but from having agape for others. It is a spiritual paradox that when we give away what God gives us, we open ourselves to receive more blessing from God.

      “The only way to make sharing agape with people a habit that flows naturally from your soul is through God’s power.

      “Agape brings out our authentic selves.

      “Everyone of us has the potential to extend agape to others. Agape gives the opportunity to discover a deeper joy than ordinary ways the world can give.

      “One of the great things about living through agape is that it brings healing to our souls and bodies. Several scientific studies have shown that acting kindly {through sharing agape} has physical and mental health benefits.

      “When all is said and done, the most satisfied older adults are those who have invested their lives in sharing agape.

     “When we realize agape is primarily an action, we are ready to use the tools we have to better share in the flow of agape.

      “Sometimes it is in the midst of difficulty that we find our greatest opportunities to experience and share agape.

      “To become a more loving person, you need to acknowledge to yourself and to God that you fall into unloving habits and you want to change. Be as specific as possible when you pray.

      “As you get older, you see how much more there is to do in your soul before agape can flow through you authentically.

      “Not only does sharing agape stand a chance in this world, but in fact it is our only chance. If we can come to respect one another as fellow human beings who need one another and choose to look out for one another’s well-being, the potential for good is unlimited. If we fail to do so, we shall lose our dignity and we shall use the technological advances of the last fifty years to destroy one another.

      “Agape is not only realistic but our only hope of survival.

{But} “the part of our nature that puts our own well-being above that of others could be considered our false self. The ego-centered pull of this false self is so pervasive that it has become a way of life for many.

      “When we make a decision to share agape, our desire to grow in agape and show our true selves begins to flow more naturally from our transformed hearts.

      “Our role is to open our hearts and minds daily to receive and share agape and to look for opportunities to continue the flow of agape. The more we do this, the more easily we share agape with others.

      {KINDNESS = 1st KEY TO TRANSFORMING EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE:} “The irony is that making kindness a way of life brings great joy not only to others but also to ourselves. When we are kind no matter what, we see what a difference everyday choices make.

      “The true authentic self of agape says, ‘I’ll be kind to you regardless of how you treat me.’

      “We’re talking about kindness flowing from agape.

      “Your commitment to agape calls on you to act and think in a different way.

      “When you release the person who has wronged you, recognize your own failure in the situation, and seek to extend agape to the offender, you will be liberated to go on with your life and use your time and energy in a constructive way.

      “One overarching calling is to enrich the lives of others by making agape the fundamental purpose of our lives.

      “The greatest thing in the world is sharing agape. Nothing will bring greater satisfaction to your life, in time and eternity, than giving and receiving agape.”