The Philautia DecisionWhat is Philautia? Why Greek?
We, speaking English, love dogs, spaghetti, the Eiffel Tower-all using the same word, love. Somewhere along the way, we have diluted the word to fit our human experiences.
But in this book, we use Greek words for a more precise understanding of the word love, because the Greeks understood that the word LOVE is too big to fit into one meaning/word. The Greeks have nine different words for love.
Deciding to acknowledge/accept/embrace God's Love, Than accepting, forgiving and God loving ourselves, therefore accepting, forgiving and God loving others!
This little book tries to carefully explain:
- Philautia = the personal decision to accept / forgive / respect / know God love your self as you are (strengths and weaknesses).
- Philautia is NOT: Arrogant, Conceited, Egocentric, Self-centered, Prideful, Narcissistic...
- The ""Philautia (I'm OK) decision"" Helps accomplish The Plan: All things are, as meant to be, on earth as it is in Heaven:
All are in Relationship with God, self and all others.
A few years ago, our grandson gave us a simple drawing which is on the cover of the book. At six years old, he captured why I wrote this book.
The Greeks understood that of all the kinds of love we experience, lovePhilautia (I'm 100% OK with me! or I'm saved!) is the transforming love. It is the transforming love that changes/enables everything: things are, as they are meant to be, all (self and all others) in Relationship! It is the life-giving force that provides the motivation and the courage to accept, forgive yourself, and thereby have love for ALL others, even if they don't love you back (because they are not OK with themselves). Your life force overflows into the world (blessed to be a blessing).
LoveAgape (Relationship/Peace with ALL others) is the second kind of love. This is the highest form of love: unconditional love that transcends and persists regardless of circumstances. It is a selfless, spiritual love aka ""God love"".
Notice that lovePhilautia creates or results in loveAgape, i.e., they are interrelated. Peace on earth (loveAgape) begins with lovePhilautia.
And, be kind to yourself (don't be intimidated by the Greek). You will see lovePhilautia (Relationship, Peace with self) and loveAgape (God love: Relationship, Peace with ALL others) many times as you read forward.
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