Submitted by Tracie Warren, PWOCI Assistant Curriculum Development

Have you ever got a song stuck in your head, and couldn’t figure out where it came from or, more importantly, how to get it out?  For the past several days I have had this song playing and re-playing in my head.  Feel free to sing along…

“What the world needs now is love, sweet love.
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.
What the world needs now is love, sweet love-
No, not just for some but for everyone.”

Now, it’s not necessarily a bad song, but after a while, enough is enough.  Unfortunately I found this particular song to be not only catchy, but persistent.  So rather than fighting it, which wasn’t working anyway, I decided to embrace it and just hum along.  I love that God can use anything to speak truth into our lives, even random little songs.  As I began to hum along with the lyrics running through my mind, I felt God reveal to me afresh that in the midst of this gift-giving season, what the world really does need is love, most definitely His love, but also ours.  And not just some people, not just those we like or those who are easy to love, but everyone, even those we find unlovable.  Without question loving others can be difficult.  It is often inconvenient.  It requires time and energy.  It requires us to be focused on others rather than ourselves.  But it is also the best means we have to show others Christ.

Matthew 22:37-39 tells us “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 neighbor as yourself.” Like it or not, my friends, we are called to love.  It won’t always be easy.  It won’t always be convenient, but it will always bring blessing.  So sisters, will you join me in choosing to give others what they really need this season – a little more love?