"Bleeding Love" by Leona Lewis

Reviewed by: Josh Meares

Note: We focus on reviewing songs, and therefore cannot comment on the appropriateness of the album in its entirety. Please use your best judgment whenever purchasing or listening to music.

The Artist

Leona Lewis is a 23-year old singer-songwriter born and raised in England. Leona's story reads almost like a fairy tale. Her parents were very supportive of her talent. She wrote songs and won competitions at an early age. Then she moved to America to try to make it big. She couldn't make it, so she returned home and gave up her dream. But in 2006, her boyfriend coaxed her into auditioning for "The X-Factor," a vocal talent show similar to "American Idol." When she won the the competition, she was awarded a recording contract and became a international celebrity overnight.

The Album

Leona Lewis' first album, "Spirit," was released in the U.K. in November 2007. It then became the fastest-selling debut album of all time in the U.K. A lot of talent is poured into this album, which will be available in the U.S. on April 8, 2008.

The Song

"Bleeding Love" is the second single to be released from "Spirit." Leona has a spectacular voice, and she puts it to good use on this track. It was written and produced by Ryan Tedder, the lead singer of OneRepublic. I have to admit that I listened to it 5 times in a row when I first heard it. It's that catchy.

But what does it mean? What is Leona trying to say? No one knows exactly. We can see that it is about a romantic relationship of some kind, but the lyrics are ambiguous. Some say the song is about drugs, but that seems far-fetched to me.

Still, Leona expresses one solid truth in this song.

Lyric: "I keep bleeding / I keep, keep bleeding love / Keep bleeding /Keep, keep bleeding love /You cut me open /And it’s draining all of me /Oh they find it hard to believe / I’ll be wearing these scars / For everyone to see "

Love is powerful. It can be amazing or terribly painful or both. Love is costly, it can leave scars, and that is scary sometimes. But let's spend a minute looking at Jesus' love.

He experienced betrayal in a relationship he had invested Himself in for three years, and it hurt Him deeply. John 13:21 is talking about Judas when it says, "Jesus was greatly distressed in spirit, and testified, 'I tell you the solemn truth, one of you will betray me.' "

And in Luke 13:34, we hear His sadness over a broken relationship with Israel. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you would have none of it!"

Jesus knew from the start His love would be returned with pain, betrayal, and death. Still, He came and loved us anyway.

So what does Jesus tell us about love? In John 15:12, Jesus says: "My commandment is this—to love one another just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this—that one lays down his life for his friends."

Jesus leaves us with no excuses. Love, He says, "Love, even though it costs you everything. Love the backstabbers and the cheaters. Love your betrayers. Love those who murder you. Love those who crucify you." "I keep bleeding, I keep, keep bleeding love."

Questions

Jesus says that people will know we are His disciples by our love for each other. (John 13:35) Does Jesus' love characterize your youth group?
Can people tell that you are a disciple of Jesus by noticing how you love other believers? Or do you have to tell them first?
Does it scare you at all how deeply and unconditionally Jesus asks you to love people? Why or why not?
What is one thing that you can do tonight at your home to show the love of Jesus?
What is one thing that you can do tomorrow at school to show the love of Jesus?