Agape Love: a choice of the mind not the heart

To first understand this concept, it helps to know a little background of Hebrew language. In Hebrew, the "heart" is associated with not feelings and emotions, by with choice and the mind. The guts (innards or bowels) are associated with the feelings and emotions. This is a formidable difference in language, and therefore translation and meaning.

While it may seem like too much to ask to feel loving toward someone who has hurt your feelings, wronged you, be it an enemy, or a person who really bothers you, understanding the nature of choice in agape love helps take the burden off what may seem insurmountable. We may never be able to emotionally reconcile with someone else in those cases. We may even hate them, but we may be able to truly treat them lovingly and respectfully, why? Because the highest form of love "agape love," truly self-sacrificing love is conceptualized as cool and calculated, a decision of the mind. One need only to *decide* to not collect on the debt owed, and operate in great benevolence toward the other. In this way one wants good for them. Not because they deserve it, mind you, but because the choice is on the decider's part as one of the will (not the heart/emotions).

Eros love, is another subcategory of love in general, (of which agape in also a subcategory). This form of love has to do with feeling love, desire, passions, affections. We cannot feel Eros love for those we do not enjoy being around.

To move into true forgiveness agape love, grace is called for. Thankfully, our feelings need not play into the goodness of it, if they aren't there yet.