In the Apostle Paul’s list of how too many people are in these last days (found in the opening verses of 2 Timothy 3), he acknowledges that humans by nature are lovers.
But our love is often disordered.
Five times Paul uses a construction for men being “Lovers of” something. In Greek these new words are formed by using “phil” (love) as a prefix.
According to Paul, there are 3 things that misguided people end up loving that they shouldn’t. People become:
- Lovers of themselves = philautoi
- Lovers of money = philargyroi
- Lovers of pleasure = philedonoi
And when these things take first place in the heart, it is impossible to simultaneously become what we should be:
- Lovers of the good = philagathoi
- Lovers of God = philotheoi
It is easy to judge another person as living a life caught up in misdirected love. Now and then, though, it is good to pause and question the direction of our own loves.
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