“There is a courtesy of the heart. It is akin to love. Out of it arises the purest courtesy in the outward behavior.” Johann Wolfgang von GoetheDakota. An interesting name. It reminds me of Joe Montana who shares a name with a state. I was looking at the prayer cards for the children in our church when I saw this solo name on a card.
I may not know Dakota well enough to say that I love her by any of the common definitions of love. Yet, as C.S. Lewis teaches in his book The Four Loves, storge is a Greek word for love that is translated: affection. Storge is the word for the affection of those around us, neighbors, co-workers, acquaintances, and those in groups we belong to but may not know personally. Storge bridges age boundaries, social standing, economic status, likes or dislikes, and even our views on politics and religion. Funny thing…I care about Dakota even though I hardly know her, because I can relate to her situation. According to Lewis, storge (affection) is the closest to the way God loves us; which in Greek is call agape: unconditional love.
Note: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), a German poet, novelist, playwright, and philosopher; his second novel, Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship, was considered the fourth best novel ever written by German philosopher Schopenhauer. Ralph Waldo Emerson selected Goethe for his book Representative Men about the six most influential men in history to date...others were Plato, Napoleon, Shakespeare.
Note: C.S. Lewis (1898-1963), British novelist, poet, academic, literary critic, lay theologian, lecturer and Christian apologist. He held academic positions at both Oxford and Cambridge Universities (1925-63). Although most all of his published works (in four genres) are still in print, he is best known for The Screwtape Letters, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Space Trilogy, Mere Christianity, Miracles, and The Problem of Pain.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
WelcomeI love the wisdom of the ages gleaned from relevant quotes. In them there is a connection to the human experience that crosses all borders. Join me as I relate my personal experiences, and link the wisdom of the quote to the Source of all wisdom: God's Word, the Bible. Enjoy, Libby Categories
All
Archives
July 2019
|