AGAPE

If you have ever spent much time at The Table or listened to our podcast you will know that we are fans of hip hop artist and theologian David Scherer.  His stage name is AGAPE.  Agape is the word for love in the Greek language.   Some of us wear shirts and hats that have the word emblazoned across the front.

“Agape” is defined as “the love God has for humanity”.    “To love is to be for another and to act for another, even at cost to oneself.  The supreme act of love is the giving of one’s life for the other.  The primary canon by which love for one another is measured is God’s love for the world and Christ’s love, which came out of obedience to God.” (from Preaching through the Christian Year by Fred Craddock & others)

David Scherer translates that theology in his piece “Now is the Time” this way:

God’s above and God’s below

We’ll do greater things for all we know

Time to soar like a bald eagle

(The thing called) ego It’s hard for me though

Be a friend to the evil twin

Let the walls all fall like east berlin

The kingdom is deep within

Unbelief needs to be to believe again

Knee deep in the ocean

looking for the water the bottle is open

the faucet is flowing

 pause in the moment

Anything just might cause Atonement

We are not alone walking home family

Amnesia’s our top opponent

We know the way God has shown it

Stop the persona and watch for the morning

How does any of this relate to the lives we live?  I think a lot about the adults who teach my children.  In the state of California, education is under siege.  Money is being cut every year.  We shrink our budget but expect to expand our services.  But in the midst of all of that, we have teachers that come into their classrooms and give, sacrificially, of themselves so that our children will learn.  Last night was Open House at our elementary school.  It is a time honored, American tradition is it not?  Guess what?  At our school it was optional.  No more money to pay for the time.  Our teachers voted at our school.  OPEN HOUSE won. That is AGAPE.