By JOSH BLACKMER
In 1965 lyricist Hal David and composer Burt Bacharach wrote the song, “What the World Needs Now Is Love”. During that time, the Vietnam War was ramping up, which was the impetus for the song’s chorus. It took them three years to find someone to sing it because of the nature of the song (Bacharach). When it was released, it became popular as an anti-war song and went up to number seven of the top one hundred songs. Regardless of your opinion about the Vietnam War, we can all agree that the world could use more love.
That’s what God has offered us. In one of the most popular Bible passages we read, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, NKJV). This is a powerful verse. The impact becomes clearer when placed in its Biblical context. God already knew, “before the foundation the world” what it would cost to redeem mankind “in love” (Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:20-21). Before He spoke light into existence and breathed life into man, He knew that His Son would have to be the sacrifice to pay for the sins of the world He was creating. God loves us even before we make any changes in our lives. “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, NJKV). When I talk to people about God’s love for them, they comment that they are not worthy of His love or that they are too far gone. They don’t realize that none of us are worthy and none of us are so far removed from God’s love that we don’t have access to it. Jesus said to His disciples, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you (John 15:13-14). Obedience is key for us to walk in a closer relationship with God and His Son. In calling disciples to Himself He said, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light (Matthew 11:29-30). This is the call of a rabbinical teacher to his students. He is conveying that His teachings are not a burden compared to what others were teaching in His day. In fact, He wants us to have an abundant life in Him, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). God has shown His love toward us in the sacrifice of His son. To reciprocate that love we must be obedient to Him, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). In doing so we can live an abundant life. Part of that reciprocation is showing love to others. When asked what was the greatest commandment Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. The second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). We show love to God by obeying Him and showing love to others. We have been so blessed by His great love that we are forever in debt to show that love. It is the thing that should define those who wear the name, Christian, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).
If you are a Christian think of God’s love as a massive interconnected system with many outlets. There are many ways that God demonstrates His love, and we should be one of them. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:7-8). “Let all that you do be done with love” (1 Corinthians 16:14). If we could all think this way, wouldn’t our world be a better place? We only have the power to change ourselves. Let’s all start there and show love.
Bacharach, Burt Anyone Who Had a Heart: My Life and Music. Harper, 2014
New King James Version, Thomas Nelson. 1982
