The Princess Bride
One of our favorite movies is The Princess Bride, the 1987 film written by William Goldman. “Does it have any sports in it?” asks the grandson. “Are you kidding? Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles,” replies the grandfather. The central theme is True love though, and I wonder if even Goldman recognized the profundity of some of his dialogue. As Buttercup interacts with the farm boy Westley,
“She was amazed to discover that when he said ‘As you wish,’ what he really meant was ‘I love you.'”
Wow. I once heard someone say that when God says “Don’t do that,” what He really means is, “Don’t hurt yourself.” This is so true. Only when we live our lives as God intended will we ever be truly fulfilled. To continue the thought, in his book The Great Divorce, author and apologist C.S. Lewis states, “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’“
There is a great sadness in that statement. We are free to accept, ignore, or reject Him, but God loves us regardless and thirsts for our response to that love.
After Buttercup heard that Westley was dead, she reluctantly became betrothed to the wicked Prince, leading to this later exchange:
Westley: “I told you I would always come for you. Why didn’t you wait for me?”
Buttercup: “Well… you were dead.“
Westley: “Death cannot stop true love.”
Wow again. Jesus asks his friends in their sorrow, “Could you not keep watch with me for one hour?” (Matthew 26:40) Are we waiting with and for the Lord? Pray daily. Pray often. Meditate on the Way of the Cross, where God demonstrated the depths of his true love on a hill called Calvary. But the story didn’t end there, did it? Death cannot stop True Love.
The Four Loves
Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. -John 13:34
The word “love” is used to express feelings or realities across an incredibly broad spectrum. Love can describe personal preference: I love chocolate ice cream, my favorite sports team, and the ocean. Love can describe relationship: I love my mother, my wife, my child, and my best friend. The English word is inadequate. Love has levels. Love has depths. There are at least four different words for love in New Testament Greek:
- Eros (ἔρως érōs) – Usually means emotional love based on romance or sexual attraction. Eros is not used in the New Testament.
- Phileo (φιλία philéo) – Usually means companionable love like the love between friends. It speaks of great affection. Phileo is used numerous times in the New Testament.
- Storge (στοργή storgē) – Usually means familial love for husband, wife, or child. It is love based on closeness or natural obligation. Storge is used three times (twice in the negative) in the New Testament. See Romans 1:31, Romans 12:10, and 2 Timothy 3:3.
- Agape (ἀγάπη agápē) – This is True Love, unconditional love. It describes the perfect love of God, the love of the Cross. Agape is used hundreds of times in the New Testament.
C.S. Lewis delves into these terms and how they are lived out in his book The Four Loves. At its highest, each form is good and beautiful, though the first three can also be taken for granted or debased.
Westley and Buttercup are again separated and the evil Prince forces her into a hurried wedding ceremony. As the Impressive Clergyman speaks about true love (“Twu Wuuv”), the Prince impatiently interrupts, “Skip to the end!”
Isn’t that just like the enemy, to try to diminish True Love. Doesn’t he know? “Deep waters cannot quench love; nor floods sweep it away!” (Songs 8:7).
After all, according to Westley’s friend Miracle Max:
“Sonny, true love is the greatest thing in the world – except for a nice MLT- mutton, lettuce, and tomato sandwich where the mutton is nice and lean and the tomato is ripe. They’re so perky. I love that.”
While we may never be asked to go to the Cross, we must strive be the love in all our relationships, however imperfectly we do it. “Above all, let your love for one another be intense, because love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8).
True love! Agape love! “That is a noble cause. Give me the sixty-five. I’m on the job!”
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