AGAPEOLOGY

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Traits of Love
Traits of Agape
First things first. What is agape? Agape is a Greco-Christian word that refers to unconditional love. It is the highest form of love, and from a theological viewpoint it is used to describe the love of God for humankind and humankind’s love for God. This love was created and birthed by God and is unique in that it is the God kind of love. Certain traits can be found in this type of love, which we will discuss.
Compassion
One work of love is compassion, which is a sympathy of others’ pain, a sensation of sorrow brought on by the misfortunes of another. Compassion can be called a mixed form of passion, a compounding of love and sorrow. Compassion is a work and trait of love. When love looks at someone’s pain and wants to help, that is compassion. Compassion is always concerned about our well-being, and God is concerned about us.
I want to show you something in the scriptures about compassion.
“And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick” (Matthew 14:14).
Notice how compassion always works for the good of those who receive it. Jesus saw the people who followed him, and his love caused him to look at their current well-being and minister to them. His compassion toward this multitude moved him to meet their needs. What was the need that moved Jesus so much? He saw the sick among them and knew God had a better plan for them. These people followed Jesus because they had a desire to be with him, to be in his presence. Jesus saw their sacrifice and their need, and his compassion went to work. Jesus was compassionate toward their sickness, and it caused him to heal them. Just as the Lord showed compassion for the sick in this scripture and for us, he has commanded us to show compassion toward one another.
The Word of God tells us to as well. Let’s look at this in the scripture. “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing, knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing” (1 Peter 3:8–9).
These scriptures not only give us a command to show compassion but offer some practical examples of what this compassion should look like. The apostle Peter says in 1 Pet.3:8, we are to “love as brethren.”
We have already discussed how compassion is a work of love. Therefore, we must have the love of God in us to show godly compassion to others. The compassion of the saints is first to have us view one another as family. This is because we all have been baptized in Christ and are part of the same heavenly family, the body of Christ. We are all God’s children, and the love of family should be stronger than the love of strangers.
The scripture says our compassion is to be pitiful. Pitiful in this scripture means to be sympathetic and tenderhearted (full of pity). Compassion sympathizes with the condition of others. Compassion is courteous. Being that compassion is part of love, it is friendly and kind. The effects of compassion described in verse 8 lead to the work of compassion done in verse 9. We must remember that God is love, and to dwell in God is to dwell in God’s love, which produces love for people. We will discuss this later. Godly compassion is not capable of responding to evil with evil; instead, it responds with blessing. Know that God loves all people, and we all have a place in God if we choose it. What is so good about this scripture is that God has pronounced a blessing on those who walk in godly compassion.