Hebrews 13:1-3,7
Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. 3 Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
There is a lot said about the three different Greek words for "love" found in the New Testament - Eros, Agape, and Phileo, but most of thr time we discuss Agape love because that is the love that comes from above that we can only experience and give out through the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This is the one that we strive for as we want to become more like Christ and the one that the world will see and be drawn to Christ because it is so "un-human". Eros is the one we go to Song of Solomon conferences to learn about, no thanks, but Phileo is sort of the red headed step child of the group. What is Phileo love as mentioned in verse 1? It is loving one another like brothers or sisters.
I best see Phileo love among my four kids we raised that are now in the early 30's. Two of my kids just got back from London, vacationing with each other and their spouses. My son, according to his sister, due to jet lag, lack of sleep or whatever, began being annoying. His wife didn't say anything but his sister told him to shape up. I'm intrigued by that. Why was his sister blunt and truthful to him while the one he has given his life to as long as they both shall live, wasn't? Lest I project too much on them, let me give my feelings on the matter. I, personally, don't want my wife telling me I'm annoying. That would hurt me deeply. I want her telling me I'm wonderful, giving me words of affirmation and building my fragile ego up which daily gets torn down in the tough world I live in. Now my sister could tell me that because I would say that she is more annoying. For my daughter to tell her brother that he is being annoying would be received because of their history growing up. They could recount how he annoyed her in 6th grade while she was in 5th and rather than fracturing the relationship, those memories would further cement the relationship.
Now what does that have to do with Hebrews 13, the body of Christ, and Phileo love? Wouldn't it be nice if the body of Christ, who are now members of God's family and indeed brothers and sisters in a different kingdom, would live in community so much that we build that history and those memories with each other? Wouldn't it be nice to not have to be so careful about the littlest thing you do or say for fear you might cause a rift with someone in your church? Do you want to vacation with people in your church? When someone might be disparaging a member of the body, do you stick up for them like you would your brother or sister? Do you see those as "fighting words"? When you invite people over from your church (showing hospitality) do you feel like everything has to be right so you make a good impression? I guarantee you my kids don't care about impressing their brothers or sisters. When your biological siblings are in trouble - whether it be health, financial, legal, marital - there is a heaviness you carry, too. You reach out to them spontaneously, regularly, not out of obligation but out of phileo love. I have to think that the deacon ministry, like divorce was given "due to the hardness of hearts." Would we need pastoral support committies if we were loving our leaders as brothers and sisters. Would we need to schedule prison visitation, shut-in and widow ministry?
What I am saying is are you "not forsaking the assembly"? Good! That means you have a body of believers in your life. How about making them a part of your family? I think that is what this passage is saying.
