I Like You

My wife and I have a strange, but nice pattern where when we encounter each other, we say "I Like You". What we are saying is that we appreciate the strengths and the mutual affection we have for each other. This phrase "I Like You" does not replace love. Love is an act of the will and has nothing to do with the other person. My wife could be completely unresponsive and I would still love her. But in saying "I Like You", I am saying I appreciate all that is contained in her being. This is consistent with the words for love in the bible. The word agape refers to the unconditional love, the covenant commitment love whereas phileo refers to brotherly affection or the Greek word equivalent of like.

I have started to use my Fitbit more. The other day I realized something. After I charge the Fitbit up fully, it flashes on the screen "I Like You". Wow, I did not realize my Fitbit likes me. I could sit on my lazy butt for weeks on end and after I charge my Fitbit, it will still say "I Like You". That is not agape love or phileo love, but self-love. The programmers of the Fitbit software (it's always the software) figured out that we better put motivational concepts in or people will get discouraged or apathetic.

It got my thinking how many people confuse self-love with brotherly love, or even worse with covenant love. Self love can never stand alone. The bible says to "let another praise you and not your own mouth" (Proverbs 27:2). I can come up with all my own motivational statements all day long but in the end, I must have someone else to admire something in me, even when I am a complete screw-up. God has wired us to long for the affection and admiration of others. It is part of what keeps us in relationship.

The Case of the Hidden Pearl

A Filipino fisherman in western Palawan island has found possibly the world's biggest pearl, but he didn't know it. For 10 years, the 34-kilogram (75-pound) pearl was hidden in a bag under a bed. The fisherman's family would rub it with their hands before going out to sea in the belief it would bring them luck, said relative Aileen Amurao.

Amurao, who is also Puerto Princesa city's tourism officer, said Thursday that the man gave her the pearl last month for safekeeping because he was moving to a new place. The pearl was sitting on a bench in her home for weeks until she found time to check the internet, and she was shocked to learn that it could be the world's biggest at 2.2 feet (67 centimeters) long and 1 foot (30 centimeters) wide. The estimated value of the pearl is 100 million dollars.

This story reminded me of the story of the "pearl of great price". This story in Matthew 13:45-46 says that a merchant was seeking fine pearls and upon finding one, he sold all he had to go and buy it. I am struck by the differences between the two stories:

• The realization of value - the fisherman must have known that he had something of value because he hid it under the bed. But he really did not know the true value of what he had. The gospel is of unlimited value but many don't realize it.
• The response of what to do with the value - the fisherman rubbed the pearl for good luck. How many of us treat the gospel as just a good luck charm. No doubt the merchant of the gospels saw the pearl as a fantastic investment because he was an investor of pearls.
• The reaction upon finding the pearl is of high value is shock to the fisherman but obviously not shocking to the merchant who knew the value he had. I wonder how many people will be shocked to find that the gospel is "good news" to so many and it is just waiting for those who will embrace it.

The pearl of Matthew 13 is something that intrinsically people would regard as high value. Not much more needs to be said. Jesus says in Matthew 7:6 says not to cast pearls before swine. The idea is you shouldn't have to convince somebody of something that has intrinsic value. It is one of those things that is self-evident, unless of course we misunderstand or misapply it.