Where Is The Love?

When I was in the last semester of my senior year of high school, I decided to take an online English class. At the time, this was a brand new option; it sounded exciting and easy to just do this class on my own at home on our family computer instead of having another hour in a classroom at school each day.

Now, I’d like to state for the record that I think it’s important to try new things, even if I may fail, because every failure helps me to know myself a little bit better. However, it probably wasn’t wisdom to try a new thing (online learning) on a subject that is crucial to actually graduating high school. Most of my other classes were not necessarily needed in order to finish my high school experience, but all four FULL years of English were definitely required.

Halfway through the semester, my guidance counselor brought me into her office to tell me I was failing a required class for graduation. I was supposed to graduate in roughly 6 weeks. I was frozen like a deer in headlights at the overwhelming backlog of writing assignments. How the heck could I possibly turn things around? I’ll never forget what she said to me: “How do you eat an elephant, Joy? One bite at a time.” That little phrase has helped me tackle so many overwhelming situations over the years.

I ended up passing English, with the patient encouragement of that guidance counselor — one writing assignment at a time.

I tell that story here because I almost didn’t write a devotional this year, feeling frozen by the sheer volume of news I read involving hate, division, atrocities, terror, and so much more that leaves me asking God, “What can be done? How does anything change for the better?”

How do you eat an elephant, Joy?

One bite at a time.

We each carry Love inside of us. We each have the capacity to be a force for Love to the people we interact with and that matters. It makes a difference. Those “bites” add up.

I’ve been listening to the song, “Where Is The Love?” By Black Eyed Peas constantly the last few months. It speaks to a deep yearning of my heart and also reminds me that I am the answer to the song’s question. I am the Love. You are the Love. We are the Love that can make the difference between hope and hopelessness in the lives of those around us.

This holiday season, join me in believing that our seemingly small acts of care and kindness amount to more than we could ever possibly imagine in the grand scheme of things.

–Joy Pritchard

Lyrics to “Where Is The Love?”

By Black Eyed Peas

Verse 1

What’s wrong with the world, mama?

People livin’ like they ain’t got no mamas

I think the whole world’s addicted to the drama

Only attracted to things that’ll bring you trauma

Overseas, yeah, we tryna stop terrorism

But we still got terrorists here livin’

In the USA, the big CIA

The Bloods and The Crips and the KKK

But if you only have love for your own race

Then you only leave space to discriminate

And to discriminate only generates hate

And when you hate, then you’re bound to get irate, yeah

Madness is what you demonstrate

And that’s exactly how anger works and operates

Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight

Take control of your mind and meditate

Let your soul gravitate to the love, y’all, y’all

Chorus

People killin’, people dyin’

Children hurt, hear them cryin’

Can you practice what you preach

Or would you turn the other cheek?

Father, Father, Father, help us

Send some guidance from above

‘Cause people got me, got me questionin’

Where is the love (love)

Where is the love? (The love)

Where is the love? (The love)

Where is the love, the love, the love?

Verse 2

It just ain’t the same, old ways have changed

New days are strange, is the world insane?

If love and peace are so strong

Why are there pieces of love that don’t belong?

Nations droppin’ bombs

Chemical gasses fillin’ lungs of little ones

With ongoin’ sufferin’ as the youth die young

So ask yourself, is the lovin’ really gone?

So I could ask myself really what is goin’ wrong

In this world that we livin’ in people keep on givin’ in

Makin’ wrong decisions, only visions of them dividends

Not respectin’ each other, deny thy brother

A war is goin’ on but the reason’s undercover

The truth is kept secret, it’s swept under the rug

If you never know truth then you never know love

Where’s the love, y’all, come on? (I don’t know)

Where’s the truth, y’all, come on? (I don’t know)

Where’s the love, y’all?

Chorus

People killin’, people dyin’

Children hurt, hear them cryin’

Can you practice what you preach

Or would you turn the other cheek?

Father, Father, Father, help us

Send some guidance from above

‘Cause people got me, got me questionin’

Where is the love (love)

Where is the love? (The love)

Where is the love? (The love)

Where is the love? (The love)

Where is the love? (The love)

Where is the love? (The love)

Where is the love? (The love)

Where is the love, the love, the love?

Verse 3

I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder

As I’m gettin’ older, y’all, people gets colder

Most of us only care about money makin’

Selfishness got us followin’ the wrong direction

Wrong information always shown by the media

Negative images is the main criteria

Infecting the young minds faster than bacteria

Kids wanna act like what they see in the cinema, yo’

Whatever happened to the values of humanity?

Whatever happened to the fairness and equality?

Instead of spreading love we’re spreading animosity

Lack of understanding, leading us away from unity

That’s the reason why sometimes I’m feelin’ under

That’s the reason why sometimes I’m feelin’ down

There’s no wonder why sometimes I’m feelin’ under

Gotta keep my faith alive ’til love is found

Now ask yourself

Chorus

Where is the love?

Where is the love?

Where is the love?

Where is the love?

Father, Father, Father, help us

Send some guidance from above

‘Cause people got me, got me questionin’

Where is the love?

Sing with me y’all (one world, one world)

We only got (one world, one world)

That’s all we got (one world, one world)

And something’s wrong with it (yeah)

Something’s wrong with it (yeah)

Something’s wrong with the wo-wo-world, yeah

We only got (one world, one world)

That’s all we got (one world, one world)

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Justin Timberlake / Will Adams / Jaime Gomez / Allan Pineda / George Pajon Jr / Printz Board / Michael Fratantuno

Where Is the Love? lyrics © Reservoir 416, Bmg Sapphire Songs, Tennman Tunes, Nawasha Networks Publishing, I Am Composing Llc, Printz Polar Publishing, Apl De Ap Publishing Llc, Tuono Music, Songs Of Universal, Inc., Songs Of Universal Inc.