Love Is the Answer, Whatever the Question

Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
1 Corinthians 13:8

 And when you feel afraid, love one another
When you’ve lost your way, love one another
When you’re all alone, love one another
When you’re far from home, love one another
When you’re down and out, love one another
All your hope’s run out, love one another
When you need a friend, love one another
When you’re near the end, love.
“Love Is The Answer,” Todd Rundren

The song by the soft-pop duo England Dan and John Ford Coley was a modest hit in the late 1970s, actually a departure for the singers. Another pop artist, Todd Rundgren, was the author.  Rundgren, as do other writers and performers, chose to cloak any specific reference to God, but when you hear the song, his intentions are obvious.

Competition is fierce, friendships are shaky, trust is difficult, commitment seems near-impossible, and unhappiness reigns. Early 21st century? Yes, but not that different from other eras, save for the 24/7 influence of social media. I continue to find it ironic that a creation meant to bring us together, actually walls us in. I am a child of the post-war television era, and while there were those who spent hours in front of the flickering box, we still were sent outside to plan, and to socialize (I was not, and am now, a TV child. My escape was radio.

So, how do we repair the damage, develop and support something as basic as commitment and, in the bigger picture, an active faith life? This may be a multi-generational repair job; baby boomers didn’t cause the issue, but we certainly missed the signs as the internet came into being, technology improved, and more and more kids got hooked on devices and games. Judging from the crowded arcades back in the 1980s, it seems like the characters on those somewhat primitive screens became more important than the humans in kids’ lives.

This seems like well-trod ground, but things are not getting better. One caveat, I do notice among the college community, there seems to be less dependence on stay locked on a screen all day long. Perhaps we as instructors and staff, can work with students to explore more human ways to communicate, to each other, and to our God.