When some people hear the word love, they think of a warm and fuzzy emotion that they have a hard time equating with a competitive sport.
It’s true, our modern definition of love is associated strongly with emotion and feeling. However, the type of love we’re discussing in this chapter is not an emotion, it’s an action and a lifestyle.
Unfortunately, in English, we only have one word for love. For such a complex topic and wide-ranging virtue, it seems like there should be more than one way to describe it. Luckily, the Greeks of thousands of years ago can be of great help here.
They defined four distinct types of love:
- Eros: Romantic love
- Philia: Love between friends
- Storge: Love between family members
- Agape: Selfless love, unconditional love.
The first three are all very important types of love, but it’s the fourth one we’re talking about in our culture code.
Agape love is a type of love that is not based on any personal benefit or gain, but is rather motivated by a genuine concern for the well-being of the other person.
Agape love is often seen as the highest form of love, as it requires one to put the needs of others before their own. It is considered a selfless love that is focused on giving without expecting anything in return.
One of the most important things to understand about Agape love, is it’s not an emotion like the first three definitions, it’s a verb. Yes, this type of love can produce strong emotion, but its foundation is in the selfless habits it creates.
When we genuinely care for others, our response to their needs is to be of service. When we desire to put the needs of others before our own, we can live a life of generosity and compassion. Agape love calls us to give without expectation of being repaid, and to help others simply because it’s the right thing to do.
When love is used in our culture code, understand that it’s not an emotion that we’re talking about, but an action. Agape love isn’t about the way we feel, it’s about how much we can do to serve our team, our community, our school, and anyone else we get to encounter.
It causes us to look at others with compassion, empathy, kindness, and view them as not only equal to us, but one with us. We’re all together, we’re all trying to figure it out, and our jobs are to help each other in every way possible.
Brotherhood and sisterhood, team chemistry, and your ability to be the player your team and program can count on, are all made stronger by this type of selfless focus.
Helpful Quotes, today they’re all from MLK:
I know that love is ultimately the only answer to mankind’s problems.
Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.
Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.