Does love really exist?  That may seem like a silly question.  I certainly feel like love exists.  You may, too.  Do you love someone?  Can you prove it?  I don’t think you can prove that you love someone.   If you can’t prove it, then isn’t it fair to say that it doesn’t really exist?   This is how I feel talking about God sometimes.

God is a lot like love in this way.  In fact, Christians believe “God is love”.  This helps us better understand something that we cannot fully understand.  Clearly, not everyone believes this, but even the theist and atheist tend to agree on love.

I’m no expert on atheism, or on God for that matter.   My atheist friends tend to be a lot smarter than I am.  They tend to rely almost exclusively on scientific evidence in terms of what they are willing to believe.   Yet they believe in love.

Science has taken on the bigger issue of trying to prove that love exists, but has since moved on, concluding that love is a feeling and feelings cannot be proven.   They further concluded that while love cannot be proven, we can observe the behaviors and actions of individuals that are said to be in love as evidence of love.

Science is drawing a close parallel to the Book of James here, where James uses a similar comparison about one’s faith in God.  Science and book of James appear to be in agreement in this context.   The existence of love and faith can be established through our actions.

Why do so many people seek love?  Maybe they want more out of life.  Maybe they want something more fulfilling.   They may want to feel loved, and they may want to give love.   And yet there is no proof that this thing they seek even exists.  However, they believe it exists most likely because they observe the actions of others.   Or is this just a natural human instinct and not really about love at all?

Sadly, there are some people that do not believe in love.  They most assuredly wouldn’t believe in God either.    You probably wouldn’t want anyone to miss out on love.   Based on your own experience, you may think their lives would be better if they had love.

If you felt strongly enough about it, you might even try to convince them that love really does exist.   You might start by talking from the heart about how love makes you feel.  You might try to get them to open their heart and mind and give it a chance.  You might ask them if they already have some of the characteristics of love.   For instance, would they describe themselves as a caring person?   Love is caring.   Are they kind?  Love is kind.  Are they compassionate…?  If they are these things, they may be living closer to the way God wants us live than they realize.  They may be living more Christ-like than they realize.

In Search of Love: Vol 1
In Search of Love: Vol 2
In Search of Love: Vol 3

In Volume 1 of “In Search of Love”, the theme centered around the idea that after the 2016 Presidential election, we’d all need a national shower to wash away the nastiness of that election cycle. It referred to a metaphorical shower of love. Instead, after the election we’re seeing people marching in the streets in what could only be described as a national temper tantrum. Yet there are many others that are quietly hoping for unity and calm. Most people probably do want unity, but it seems unlikely that we could ever unite around any one ideology or political party.

Watching the protesters in the streets, one thing that really stood out were some of the signs they were carrying that said, “Love.” People were marching and protesting, some committing violent acts, some screaming obscenities. And in their hands, they held signs proclaiming love. There’s been a lot of talk lately about “Fake News.” Then this could only be described as “Fake Love.”

The actions of some of these protesters were the antithesis of the very signs they were holding. For instance, some of the signs read, “Love Trumps Hate.” Yet they were effectively demonstrating how anger and hate trump love, even as they held a sign that said the opposite. What should anyone expect when love is recklessly infused into these situations as a catch phrase? Is this supposed to somehow unite us?

Does love even have a place in politics? Some of the protesters certainly think so. Even the President talks a lot about love. The protesters say the President represents hate, but they are losing credibility based on their confusing protests as they demonstrate what looks like hate holding signs that say love.

Perhaps the politics of love should begin in our individual lives.

As someone who calls himself a Christian, I struggle in my brokenness to keep love as the guiding force in my life. I may have followed the compass in different directions, but I know there is only one true north. This “True North” was established by Jesus when He gave us just one new commandment. He said, “Love one another.” The great author C. S. Lewis describes this type of love as a deep and profound sense of caring for each other. Some people may not believe in God and some people may not like religion, but it might be hard to find someone who does not believe we should care for each other.

Then let’s care for each other. Let’s care deeply for each other. That may be the one thing that could unite us.

In Search of Love: Vol 1
In Search of Love: Vol 2

Then there’s the story of the young girl who had picked out a very special gift that year for her daddy.   She wrapped it with love, every ribbon and every bow.  She placed it under the tree with all the other gifts that Christmas Eve, but this one was clearly special to her.  She was more excited about giving that gift to her daddy than she was about opening her own gifts.   When Christmas morning came, she grabbed the gift, took it straight to her daddy, and asked him to please open it first.   He said he would, but he was also playing Santa and passing out gifts to all the other members of the family.   While everyone was opening their gifts, she went back to him a few more times asking if he would open hers.

Eventually, things began to settle down and the attention of the parents began to turn to getting ready for the extended family gathering later that day.  Suddenly, everyone was frantically getting ready. The young girl happened to look up from the toy she was playing with, only to see the special gift she had gotten her daddy was still underneath the tree, unopened.  Her heart sank.  It was her special gift to him and he didn’t open it.  It meant so much to her to give it to him and watch him as he opened it.   Yet somehow, there it was, unopened.

The world was given a very special gift many years ago.  It was a gift that would change people’s lives and change the world.  It was given to us in the form of a child, a baby.  It was the greatest gift of all.  A gift of love.

Don’t let it go unopened.

Trent Pelham
Tallahassee, Florida

This has been one of the nastiest election cycles that many of us have ever experienced. I’ve heard some people say, regardless of who wins, we’re going to need a national shower after this thing’s over.

I totally understand this sentiment. Where can we find relief? Where is the love in all this?

It may not be that complicated, but it may not be that easy, either. One of my favorite lines from the movie Forrest Gump, is when Forrest said, “I may not be a smart man, but I know what love is, Jenny.” In spite of everything he faced, love was important to Forrest and he was confident that he knew what love was.

I somehow find this comforting. Perhaps because the concept of love may be more simple than intellectually advanced. However, love can mean different things to different people. It can range from a simple act of kindness to the deepest, most passionate feelings.

Do you love? If so, who do you love? I love my family. I love my dog, too. But what about the homeless person on the street corner? Should I love them? What about the person that may hate me? Is my first impulse to be angry at them, or am I supposed to love them too?

As a Christian, I know the answer to these questions. I should love them all, but that’s easier said than done. If I’m somehow able to do this then the only way for me to get there will be through my faith. I’m certainly no theologian, but I believe that all of Christianity can be summed up into one word: “Love”.

This simple concept was repeated throughout the New Testament. Through all of His teaching, Jesus emphasized this point repeatedly. Near the end of his life, Jesus summarized His teachings by giving us a single new commandment.

The only commandment He gave and perhaps the most important commandment of them all. He said, “Love one another.” There it is. It’s like the answer key to the other Ten Commandments. It’s like the answer key to Christianity. If you do this one, the other commandments are practically covered. If you do this one, we might find that shower.