Chapter 16

             Anticipation of seeing a new land with a different people and different culture grew as they boarded the plane.  They found themselves seated in a middle row of the giant 747 airplane.  This enabled them to talk and ask Charles more questions as they took the long eight hour flight to England where they would switch planes.

            “Charles” Juanita began shortly after takeoff “how can you truly love two women at the same time?”

            Charles chuckled a bit before beginning his reply.  “I love them with the love of the Lord,” he explained.

            Juanita turned her head toward him with a quizzical look on her face. 

            Charles continued, “When Americans say they are in love, they mean they have ‘fallen . .’” -- he paused to stress the  word fallen with a hint of negativity in his voice -- “‘in love.’  You mean by this that you feel, feel, feel” he said the word three times using a different method of emphasis “that you are romantically in love.” 

            He paused again as he looked at Juanita who was seated to his left and George who was seated to her left before turning to look at Aaron who was seated to his right. Thus he gave them all time to let the words he was saying sink in.

            “In romantic love” Charles continued “you are continually indoctrinated that it can be only monogamous.  If a man loves more than one woman, he is taught that is wrong!  You even call it ‘cheating.’”

            The plane hit some disturbed air causing the plane to rumble a bit in turbulence.  After a few seconds the plane settled, and everyone’s attention was refocused on Charles.

            “I have not fallen in love.  I have risen in love,” Charles confidently stated.

            “I have risen to agape love.  This is God’s type of love.  It is not based on the lust of the flesh or the lust of the eyes or the pride of life, as romantic love often is,” Charles explained. 

            “So,” Aaron interrupted, “you’re saying that most people begin dating a girl because she’s cute or they lust after her body or they know it would give them prestige to bee seen with a good looking woman.”

            There was a pause during which the only sound was that of the hum of the jet engines as each considered the revelation that Aaron had just related.

            “Yes!”  Charles exclaimed, obviously pleased that Aaron was beginning to see the point that he was attempting to make.  “People say” Charles went on,, “I love my house, I love my care, I love my dog, I love my boat, I love my wife.  Are they all the same?  Don’t you love a woman in a different way than you love an inanimate object?”  He paused again briefly to let them consider the question (he didn’t really expect a response).

            “How are we told to love one another in the Bible?”  Charles questioned further.  “It is with Agape love.” He stated flatly.  “It is not ‘I love you because you are pleasant to my eyes’ or ‘I love you because I think you will please my lustful desires’ or ‘I love you because I will get prestige as people know you are related to me.’”

            “No!” Charles exclaimed as he went on.  “‘I love you with God’s love because you are a person.  God loved you enough to send Jesus to die for you.  I love God with all my heart, with all my soul, and with all my mind and with all my strength, therefore I love what God loves.’  God loves his people.  I love Him, I am continually trying to obey him therefore, I marry whoever he says to marry.”

            All three of the others were stunned into silence.  They of course knew of God’s love.  They knew they were to obey God; and yet they had never seen or heard of it taken to the point that one would marry, not based on romantic love, but on mere obedience to what God wanted.

            “How . . .” Juanita began a question hesitantly, “how do you know you can hear God that clearly?”

            “Did not Jesus say” Charles began his answer “My sheep know my voice?”

            With that the questions ended for a time as they each settled in to sleep before reaching England.  Juanita wondered as she drifted off what Charles’ wives would be like.  Since he hadn’t married for looks, or prestige, maybe they would be grossly ugly, she thought.  Her answer was only hours away.