Let Someone Know

You know the lyrics of the song ‘Each One Reach One’ written by Babbie Mason several years ago could not be more pertinent today. As important as it is to ‘reach one’ is probably also the need to ‘teach one.’ I’m not sure which one is harder or easier.

As human beings we often don’t want to be reached or taught. I often switch my phone to airplane mode or completely off to ‘conserve battery.’ Recently I got a dumb phone with a new number so that only my wife can contact me at times when my real phone is off. I got a bill for the dumb phone this week for $2.84. Oh yes! I’m ‘saving.’

Being ‘taught’ is sometimes cool if I’m seeking to learn. However, even when someone is trying to teach me something that I need to know that process can quickly go south the moment I suspect there will be no future application of the information.

So what’s the deal? And what is it that we need to be reaching and teaching? About better health? How to have lasting fun? Ways to reduce stress? Ways to stay out of debt and have financial freedom? How about ways to have better interpersonal relationships with difficult people or how to avoid them altogether? That might be a hot topic. I don’t know. How about…The love of God? Is that worth thinking about really?

For billions of people in the world the concept of ‘the love of God’ might mean absolutely nothing. Think of people under severe persecution. In war stricken places. People suffering from starvation, neglect, casualties of disasters, natural or man made. Think of people going through depression, and emotional distress. Or, people with all the wealth in the world without any apparent need? Can ‘the love of God’ seem insignificant in a moment of crisis or a period of prosperity?

In a world of tangibles, intangibles often seem fictitious, concocted and derived for the purpose of self gratification. No? Some would argue, ‘how can the existence of God be proved?’ While at the same time it is probably equally difficult to prove that God does not exist. But even negating the existence of ‘God’ in ‘the love of God’ still leaves us with a healthy debatable subject. That of ‘the love of!’ This might be something that can be ‘taken to the bank.’ Making the world a better place. Loving my neighbor. Not that side-eyed peeping through the window type of flirtatious love. No, the real selfless disinterested kind of love. And then how about some love in the workplace. Now that’s a touchy one. How to show love in the workplace? Well, first start by not touching. That might only get you to HR. Instead, get to work on time. Respect other people’s time. Meet deadlines. Give a helping hand when needed. Be courteous and use common sense—not often common. One more—the love of family. You know loving that one obnoxious inconsiderate and unlovable family member could be a challenge. But are we up to it? The list can go one: the love of a community of believers; the love of a village, a city, a country. The love of the world’s inhabitants. How consuming and transforming our world could be if in the hardest of hearts we can show love to those around us? It doesn’t get any simpler. We all need love.

So I ask myself the question: ‘what’s my way of loving?’ Is it that sandpaper type of love? Where I’m trying to smoothen everybody out while I’m as rough as can be? Is my love genuine or is it contrived? Is it forceful or does it come naturally? Does it perfume the air or putrefy it?

What is my definition of love to begin with? Is it the love that is not puffed up, easily provoked or suffers long definition? Is it kind and envies not? What motivates me to love? Is it a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?

Whatever a person’s understanding of love is or it’s motivating force one must recognize that people show love in different ways. Just as we differ in size, shape or color we each have our unique ways of loving. It sometimes takes patience to figure this out.

Whether logical or not, love by its definition embodies selflessness and a character of benevolence. The source of this selflessness and benevolence might be for another blog. In the meantime can we show a little more love?

Yes, by our love they will know. So bottom line: do let someone know that you love them. Reach one and teach one…through love.

#Geometric progressions. #The common cold. #Compounded interest. #Epidemics. #Inverted quarantines. #Maslow’s higher needs #Amazing #letters from a skeptic

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Each One Reach One, By Babbie Mason

Tonight a man is somewhere proclaiming the good news
Winning families to Jesus all around his neighborhood
He tells them that God is able to make their house a home
He wants to win his world for Christ, but he can’t do it alone
But each one can reach one
As we follow after Christ we all can lead one
We can lead one to the Savior
And together we can tell the world that Jesus is the way
If we each one reach one

The message is unchanging, go ye into all the world
And share the love of Jesus far away or door to door
You see, just like somebody told you that Jesus loves you so
You must tell someone, who will tell someone
Until the whole world knows
That each one can reach one
As we follow after Christ we all can lead one
We can lead one to the Savior
And together we can tell the world that Jesus is the way
If we each one reach one

So will you go and labor
Will you hold high your light
One by one and two by two
We can win our world for Jesus Christ
And each one can reach one
As we follow after Christ we all can lead one
We can lead one to the Savior
And together we can tell the world that Jesus is the way
If we each one reach one

Each One, Reach One lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc