The Lounge Philosopher

In light of what happened over the past few days – the assassination of the Godly man Charlie Kirk – my heart has been heavy. Whether you knew of him, agreed with him, or disagreed with him doesn’t matter. His death shook me deeply.

I’ve been following Charlie for a few years now. I LOVE a good debate, and he was brilliant at it. He had a way of cutting through the noise and going straight to the truth, always composed and respectful, even when it wasn’t popular.

Another one of my absolute favourites, who can hold her own in any debate, is Candace Owens, a powerhouse voice who, like Charlie, never backs down from speaking the truth boldly. I can mention many others I enjoy listening to, such as Jordan B. Peterson and Ben Shapiro, to name but a few. Do I agree with all their viewpoints? Not necessarily. But I’m always open to listening and learning something new, if possible.

Recently, I also discovered a young man named Mat Nuclear (you’ll find him on X). He’s relatively new to the scene, but I encourage you to give him a listen as well – a wise young man.

When I first heard about Charlie’s shooting, my heart sank.

First came the shock.

I immediately, almost desperately prayed, “No, God. His work here can’t be done yet.”

Then came the utter disbelief as I saw the harrowing moment his life was taken, followed by the agonising wait for confirmation of his passing.

How dare they?

My next emotion was anger, but not the kind of anger I call my “shadow side anger” (the type that can lash out and needs to be controlled).

No, this was different.

It was, let’s call it a ‘holy anger,’ a ‘righteous indignation’ that arises when we witness injustice or harm to the innocent. It’s an anger that doesn’t lead to hate or revenge, but to a more profound commitment to love and justice. I am, and have always been, against injustice.

How could anyone take the life of someone who was, firstly, a bold proclaimer of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, secondly, a loving husband to a beautiful wife, and thirdly, a devoted daddy to two precious little children?

In hindsight, one scripture came to mind:

“Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” John 12:24.

As heartbreaking as Charlie’s death is, I can’t help but believe it will mark the start of something bigger – a harvest of seeds that will grow and bear fruit in ways we can’t yet imagine.

As a result, I couldn’t bring myself to post my original blog last week, which was intended for the ladies (a skincare post, which I will share later this week).

Instead, I sat in my grief and my questions, trying to process what had happened.

And through it all, one word has kept coming to me, over and over again:

LOVE.

The Power of Love

We throw the word love around so easily (I am “guilty” of this too!).

“I love pizza.”

“I love that series on Netflix.”

“I love my new shoes.”

But real love – the kind that transforms lives and heals brokenness – isn’t casual.

It’s not just a warm, fuzzy feeling.

It’s a choice; a sacrifice. And sometimes, it’s downright uncomfortable (believe me when I say that I sometimes wrestle with having to love my enemies). But it’s in these moments of discomfort that we truly show our commitment to love.

The older I get, the more I realise love is rarely convenient.

It’s often messy, and yes, sometimes painful.

But it is also the most powerful force we have, capable of transforming even the most dire situations into ones filled with hope and inspiration.

Love in Action

Some of the people I love most don’t look like me, think like me, or live the way I do.

And that’s okay.

I choose to accept people just as they are – with all their differences, beliefs, and life choices.

Love doesn’t depend on race, religion, sexual orientation, or social status.

It goes deeper. It sees the human heart, the person beneath the surface, and chooses compassion, dignity, and grace.

Because here’s the truth – love doesn’t require sameness.

It doesn’t require perfect agreement.

It only requires a willing heart.

The Greatest Commandment

Whenever anyone asks me to sum up the Bible in one word, I always say “LOVE”.

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, His answer was simple but straightforward:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbour as yourself.” (Matthew 22: 37-39)

Notice, He didn’t say, “Love your neighbour if they share your beliefs.”

Or, “Love them as long as they never offend you.”

He simply said, ‘Love your neighbour.‘

This kind of love is radical.

It stretches us beyond our comfort zones and challenges every selfish bone in our bodies.

It’s not about warm feelings – it’s about action. Love is a verb, an active force that requires us to step out and make a difference in the lives of others.

When Love Gets Messy

Let’s be real: loving people isn’t always easy.

Sometimes it means biting your tongue when you want to argue.

Sometimes it means forgiving someone who doesn’t even realise how deeply they hurt you.

Sometimes it means holding onto truth while still extending grace.

Love isn’t about pretending we don’t see sin or brokenness – it’s about choosing to look past it to the person beneath.

It’s what Jesus did for each one of us.

Why Love Matters

In a world that feels more divided and violent by the day, love is the bridge that brings us back together.

It’s how we heal broken families.

It’s how we mend communities torn apart by anger and fear.

It’s how we shine light into the darkest places.

Jesus said:

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35

Not by how many Bible verses we can quote.

Not by how loudly we debate on social media (I am guilty of this sometimes as well!).

But by how we love.

A Challenge for Us All

The world has enough hate. Enough division. Enough rage.

Imagine a world where we loved without walls.

Where we saw past differences and chose compassion first.

Where we treated people with dignity, even when we disagreed.

That’s the kind of love that changes families, neighbourhoods, and maybe even nations.

And it starts with us.

With me.

With you.

Today, you and I have a choice:

To love, even when it’s hard.

To love, even when it costs us something.

To love, because God first loved us.

Final Thought

Love isn’t perfect.

It’s messy. It’s stubborn. It’s showing up, day after day, choosing the greatest commandment in small, ordinary ways.

Even when the world feels dark and heavy, love wins, always.

1 Peter 4:8: “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”

And maybe, just maybe, that’s how we bring a little more light into this broken world.