The Beatles had a hit song in the 60s titled “All You Need is Love” (written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney). The essential message of the song is that you cannot accomplish the impossible, described with phrases like “there’s nothing you can do that can’t be done” and “there’s nothing you can see that isn’t shown.”
The song goes on to encourage listeners with the fact that it is okay for the impossible to remain out of reach because it does not matter as long as you have love. They do not define the love they are singing about but we can make assumptions based on the popular culture of the 60s and 70s which leads us to wonder if we love as they suggest, if any of those things which they state as impossible — or life itself—become any more palatable by following their advice.
Jesus, however, offers a different kind of love when he declares as the greatest commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind… (and) love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39, NIV). When we love God as Jesus commands, it flows from a heart and life committed to him. When we love our neighbor as ourselves, this love flows from our love for God (and our commitment to Him) and better yet—from his love for us. When we love our neighbor in a way that exemplifies another instruction of Jesus to “do to others as you would like them to do to you” (Luke 6:31, NLT), our love goes beyond that encouraged by the Beatles to a love that can actually accomplish the impossible.
Have you ever had a hard-to-get-along-with co-worker? Loving that co-worker with a divinely inspired love could soften them and make your working relationship much more pleasant.
How about that short-tempered neighbor? Yelling back seldom promotes community, but the love that Jesus encourages could.
Disharmony at home? Try love — real love —which can soften hearts and bring Families together.
It takes more than just love, but when we love as Jesus commands with a love that flows from the heart of God, it provides the necessary foundation for a happy life.
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Originally published 23 October 2014 in The Fort Leonard Wood Guidon. Digital version can be found here. All of my Guidon articles can be found here if you’re interested!
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Picture “All You Need Is Love (Beatles single – cover art)” by Scan. Licensed under Fair use via Wikipedia – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:All_You_Need_Is_Love_(Beatles_single_-_cover_art).jpg#mediaviewer/File:All_You_Need_Is_Love_(Beatles_single_-_cover_art).jpg
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Here I Sit 