If you do put a little love in your heart, what does the song say will happen? And the world will be a better place.
“Take a good look around / And if you're lookin' down / Put a little love in your heart / I hope when you decide / Kindness will be your guide / Put a little love in your heart / And the world will be a better place / And the world will be a better place / For you and me / You just wait and see / Put a little love in your heart... Another day goes by / Still the children cry /Put a little love in your heart.”
That was a popular song years ago.
Let kindness be your guide, the song says. When I think of my life history, I think of the kindness of Jesus showing up in my life: But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy (Titus 3:4-5, NIV). When I think of the life purpose for which I have been chosen, I think of this: Therefore, as Gods chosen people... clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness... (Colossians 3:12).
As I write this, I think of what was said about my older brother at his funeral in December, my second brother to die within a month. Several mentioned that Woody would often say to people who might be worked up over issues or offenses or organizational stuff or upset over other things, he would remind them that it's all about the relationship. People also said that he always left people better than he found them.
It's a good thing to find ways to remind ourselves that love and kindness are what it's all about. When you're stressed at someone, or at things that have happened, “put a little love in your heart!”
Song of Solomon 5:8 says, “I am faint with love.” Of course, this book of the Bible, the Song, is about being in love. It expresses well the feelings at the start of a relationship. C. S. Lewis noted perceptively: Who could bear to live in that excitement for even five years? What would become of your work, your appetite, your sleep, your friendships? Lewis said again: The most dangerous thing you can do is to take any one impulse of our own nature (like the feelings that accompany falling in love) and set it up as the thing you ought to follow at all costs... No feeling can be relied on to last in its full intensity, or even to last at all. Knowledge can last, principles can last, habits can last; but feelings come and go. And in fact, whatever people say, the state called 'being in love' usually does not last.
The tragedy for many people is, that when they lose some of the intensity of those feelings that come at the start of 'being in love,' they think the relationship must be coming to an end. In actual fact, they are now prepared for a deeper and more mature love, which continues not just on the strength of feelings, but on the strength of the will! Christlike love is not merely a feeling; it is an act of the will.
The Son of God loved me and sacrificed Himself for me, St. Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20. Jesus had to set his face like flint (Isaiah 50:7) to carry through with this act of love. The feeling he had at the time was intense suffering. He willed to love us to the point of dying for us!
C. S. Lewis explained: Of course, ceasing to be 'in love' need not mean ceasing to love. Love in this second sense--love as distinct from 'being in love'--is not merely a feeling. It is a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit; reinforced by the grace (asked for, and received from, God) as quoted in The C. S. Lewis Bible. Husbands are counselled to love their wives as Christ loved and sacrificed Himself (Ephesians 5:25).
Is there a human being or another creature in sight who needs an act of love and kindness? Opportunities abound in our forlorn world; just put a little love in your heart!
I say, Jesus, You loved like no one else! Please put Your love and kindness in my heart now!
