Song by Burt Bacharach, Sung by Dionne Warwick
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
Lord we don't need another mountain
There are mountains and hillsides
Enough to climb
There are oceans and rivers,
Enough to cross, enough to last till the end of time
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
Lord, we don't need another meadow
There are cornfields and wheat fields
Enough to grow
There are sunbeams and moonbeams
Enough to shine
Oh listen Lord, if you want to know
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
Unfortunately, humankind too often ignores, overlooks, or dismisses the power of love. Instead, it is too often associated with weakness and a "second-hand emotion." Nevertheless, we all know (or should know) that its absence or undervaluation is at the root of war, hunger, loneliness, insecurity, and poverty - the enemies of humankind.
According to the Judeo-Christian Scriptures, love is the most important attribute a human can possess - more important than knowledge, power, or wealth! Indeed, the Gospel of John informs us that Jesus said that it was the very thing which would identify his followers to the world! Likewise, in the Gospel of Matthew, Christ is portrayed as condensing God's Law into Two Great Commandments (Love for God and each other). Moreover, returning to the Gospel of John, we are informed that Christ elevated the command to love each other as playing an important role in fulfilling the commandment to love God (the first epistle to John confirms this). He pointed out that it is impossible to love an invisible God while simultaneously hating the people God loves. Moreover, he went on to say that God IS love! The Apostle Paul also reiterated the essential nature of love regarding Christianity in his first epistle to the saints at Corinth. He said that love was more important than knowledge, faith, or hope!
Jesus said: "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." Which is exactly what Jesus did for all of us - he literally laid down his life for us! Indeed, the same account attributes this famous statement to him: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." This is the kind of love that rejects fear and uncertainty and embraces God's love. It rejects the motive of self-interest and self-aggrandizement. It expresses interest in and concern for the needs of others. In a world filled with self-interest, selfishness, ego, hostility, envy, and greed, it should be clear to all of us that what the world needs now is love - sweet love!
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