What Is Love?

I was recently at a concert. To be more specific a Niall Horan concert in Brighton! Apart from not knowing any of the songs, it was a great night, however there was something that just didn't sit right with me. How many times have you heard a singer or a vlogger or a celebrity say 'I Love You'. The words are very easy to say. The warm up act for Niall Horan's show said I love you, but she didn't just say it once or twice, but infact said it over and over again. Usually at a concert, you are singing along, but I guess due to not knowing the lyrics I had more thinking time. More time to question 'What Is Love?'.

I believe we live in a culture where words don't mean as much as they once did. We live in a society where promises can easily be broken and lies often become what many see as the truth. So what does I love you mean? No I don't think the warm up act singer meant any harm and infact she probably means those words to an extent, but what does I love you mean?

The Bible has a great deal to say about love. In fact, the Bible says that “love is of God” and “God is love” (1 John 4:7–8); in other words, love is a fundamental characteristic of who God is. Everything God does is impelled and influenced by His love.


Now don't get me wrong love isn't always a romantic love and parental love, you can love friends. I love many of my friends and would say I am very lucky to be able to call certain people my friends however what makes me love them, it's a relationship, a friendship and me knowing them. As a culture have we lost the meaning of love? Did that warm up act, actually mean the words 'I love you' or did she simply mean 'Thank You'. Thank you for coming to the concert, thank you for supporting my music.

I decided to head over to Urban Dictionary (I doubt many Christian blogs would ever use Urban Dictionary as reference, but it's great! If you haven't ever been on it, be careful, you have been warned!) This is what someone wrote for what they think love means:

'I love you” means that I accept you for the person that you are, and that I do not wish to change you into someone else. It means that I will love you and stand by you even through the worst of times. It means loving you even when you’re in a bad mood, or too tired to do the things I want to do. It means loving you when you’re down, not just when you’re fun to be with. “I love you” means that I know your deepest secrets and do not judge you for them, asking in return that you do not judge me for mine. It means that I care enough to fight for what we have and that I love you enough not to let go. It means thinking of you, dreaming of you, wanting and needing you constantly, and hoping you feel the same way for me.'

This is what love is. This is what the fathers love for us is like. Knowing those deepest secrets that you wish no one knew, yet the person who does know, doesn't judge you or look down on you, they love you where you are at. Do celebrities 'love you' or are they grateful for your support. The fathers love for us even when we don't want to talk to God, he is still there for us. We can so hope that our favourite vlogger will tweet us back and when they do, they must love us, but do they? Culture says that famous people must love that person if they reply in less than 280 characters, but as Christians we should be different. We are called to love!

One of my favourite verses is Matthew 10:8. 'Freely you have received so freely give'. What this post isn't saying is to be stingey on telling the people that you love that you love them. Lets be generous, but also be careful that these words stop meaning anything.