What is love??

Just wrote this email recently... thought it might be blog worthy!

Love - one of the definitions i like is something like this: it is the overflow of joy in God that leads you to meet the needs of others. (John Piper in his book "Desiring God").


I had a conversation with a friend recently. They were asking me if I felt people used the word "Love" too often. So yeah I think most of the time the word is misused. So if I go to McDonald's and get a Big Mac... I will say "I love this burger", I think, there is truth to this because love, as a dimension of Delight!

But when we say we love somebody is that it? Is it just that we delight in them?

Imagine if love in a marriage was based on this kind of love? If you go into a marriage based on your love for another person. You are in it because of what you can get out of it, as soon as your spouse no longer makes you happy, then divorce is the logical next step.

So the Biblical view of love:

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Rom 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome


There are many many verses to chose from. I just wanted to show how these verses seem to flip our conception of love on its head!

We think: This person does something for me therefore I love...
Bible: the verses seems to hint the opposite... I love therefore I do... I love, so I obey, and I obey with JOY... God loves, and it cost him. He gave his Son.

So I would say that the idea of love in the Bible is sacrificial. Maybe think about a new born child. What has he done? Nothing! Yet, parents naturally just overflow with Joy when they think of their Baby... this Joy leads them to Act and meet all his or her needs.

SO I think that is one big aspect about Love, it moves you to DO!

How can you say you love everybody? You don't even know everyone!

Keeping the previous concept of love... are you willing to give to a complete stranger? Are you willing to do something that will cost you? Are you able to do that and feel joy, (that it is not a burden? 1 John 5:3). I think you can actually, if love is a Way of life! You chose to live, placing other people's needs above your own (Phil 2:4). Does that sound like the good life? Or a terrible life? If Jesus was able to endure the cross with JOY (Hebrews 12:2) we can probably also live a life of JOY loving everyone around us.

As Christians Jesus commands: Love your enemy!

Here's Jesus talking: (Mat 5)

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[i] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Christians are not loving?

So about you not feeling loved by Christians... I think that's fair enough! And that's where we fail! Jesus tells us, his followers that we should be known for our extravagant love for one another.


John 13(Jesus Speaking) 

34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Christians are not perfect! We are just people with problems like everyone else. Just we acknowledge our need for a savior! I would say judge Christianity by what Jesus says. That's my standard, not how Christians live... Though you would be correct to observe how being a Christian is lived out... They seem to show you that they need a savior... SO I would say there you agree with them!

How can you love someone you disagree with?

So I guess I would say that if love requires action! Then I would say that when you disagree with someone, instead of you "no longer" loving them, I would try to argue for the opposite! If you are still able to act, in a way that it costs you to "Love them", to demonstrate how you care about them as an individual and their well being, I would argue that you demonstrate even greater love! (the cost is greater!)

Alright... well you asked for the Christian view - So this is what I think it is! Looking forward to your thoughts on this!

Love is spending time?

Have not thought about this too much... A famous book people in Christian circles go coucou over is one describing different ways you can love. The main idea is that we all express love in different ways, and we all prefer some kinds better than others. Here's the list:

1. words of affirmation
2. giving presents
3. physical touch
4. time
5. acts of service

Think about it!

Much Love!