A Favorite Hymn


We had a hymn sing at my church today.  We used to do it every summer, but then...

This one was a little different.  A "modified" sing if you will. There were maybe 30 of us in a space that holds over 300.  We were masked.  We were socially distant.  But we did sing the hymns that members of the congregation have requested.

I had been asked to tell them what my favorite hymn is as part of the service as part of the children's sermon.  Today, there were no children (it is summer after all), but I won't give up an opportunity to speak (just for a few minutes), so here's what I said:

 I don't know if it's my favorite hymn, because honestly there are quite a few hymns that speak to me, but when I thought about it and put it in the context of speaking with children, this one immediately jumped out at me.

It's a song that was sung every time I picked my son up at camp. (FYI it's Camp Jburg and yes, they are having camp this summer, but my son is working so...) So it seems right to declare it as my favorite hymn, if only during the summer months.  It is "They'll Know We Are Christians By Our Love."

It is the second verse that really speaks to me:  "We will work with each other, we will work side by side. We will work with each other, we will work side by side. And we'll guard each man's dignity and save each man's pride. And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love. Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love."

It's making a very specific and very important point.  You aren't a Christian because you were a t-shirt that says you are.  You aren't a Christian because you own a Bible.  You aren't a Christian because you sit in certain pew in a church.  That's not how you should be identified as such.  It's your actions (loving actions) that "mark" you as Christian.

Your actions are what shows the world that you are a Christian.  It's not what you say...it's what you do to show your Christian love.

Let the world know that you are Christian by your love.  Show your love.  Act your love.  Be your love.  


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