Love is (and is) not a simp

A definition of simp is “Someone who does way too much for a person they like.” I see and hear this word every day. And there are people who definitely be doing way too much. There’s also people who use it as a pet name. Then there’s people who turn their nose up to the word in disdain and smugery, claiming that it mischaracterizes what love “actually is.”

And I agree. Love is not a simp. Love, in the context of human relationship, is not serving them beyond your physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual capabilities. Love is not doing absolutely everything you can to get them to like, accept, or validate you. That is people pleasing and is unhealthy. That is allowing others to define your identity and worth based on your behavior and their particular attitude, opinion, and perception towards you at any given moment. That’s doing too much.

Yet, I disagree. Love is a simp. Relationship is not 50-50. Relationship is 120-120. True and genuine love will sacrifice itself for the sake of others. True and genuine love will give of itself beyond its capabilities to ensure the object of its affection is taken care of well. True and genuine love will recognize both parties are flawed and broken and have sin and need daily sanctification but will wholly and completely accept as-is. True and genuine love does absolutely way too much.

And when I think about it, isn’t that what the Father and Son did for us? Jesus did not have to die. When Adam sinned, God could have straight up wiped out the entire earth and started over from scratch. Or He could have created us without the ability to choose Him and instead we could be like one of the created beings who worship Him daily but cannot love because they were not given a choice to love. Love is always a choice and God, out of love for us, because He chose us, chose to send His Son to die for our sins and rise again so we would be dead to condemnation and have life everlasting. He absolutely did way too much for us. And those who have accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior should do the same to help practically fulfill Matthew 28:18-20.

Because Love is and is not a simp.