Live Like That

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Some of you may recognize the title of this post as the same title of a SideWalk Prophet’s song. This song has spoken to me many times. I always like to listen to the whole song and use it as a prayer to the Lord. What I understand from the song is that when we die people should be looking at our life and want to live like we did. I want to take a few paragraphs and break down the song a little bit. First I would like to post the lyrics to the song with permission from Sidewalk Prophets.

Sometimes I think
What will people say of me
When I’m only just a memory
When I’m home where my soul belongs

Was I love
When no one else would show up
Was I Jesus to the least of those
Was my worship more than just a song

I want to live like that
And give it all I have
So that everything I say and do
Points to You

If love is who I am
Then this is where I’ll stand
Recklessly abandoned
Never holding back

I want to live like that
I want to live like that

Am I proof
That You are who you say You are
That grace can really change a heart
Do I live like Your love is true

People pass
And even if they don’t know my name
Is there evidence that I’ve been changed
When they see me, do they see You

I want to live like that
And give it all I have
So that everything I say and do
Points to You

If love is who I am
Then this is where I’ll stand
Recklessly abandoned
Never holding back

I want to live like that
I want to live like that

I want to show the world the love You gave for me
I’m longing for the world to know the glory of the King

I want to live like that
And give it all I have
So that everything I say and do
Points to You

If love is who I am
Then this is where I’ll stand
Recklessly abandoned
Never holding back

I want to live like that
I want to live like that, I want to live like that

Written by Ben Glover, Ben Mcdonald, David Frey, David Douglas Frey • Copyright © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc
          I know there have been many times that I have wondered what my funeral will be like. Will it be a large sanctuary that is overflowing with people or will it be a small room? Will people be giving glory to God for how I was able to touch their life or will they only be talking about me? Looking at the first words of this song remind me of the thoughts that come to my mind often. How will I live my life differently when I think about these words?
      As I listen to this song I usually find myself challenged in many areas of my life. I am challenged to examine my life to see if I truly live like God loves me. If I am living like I have been given a second chance. I find myself living my life like I am still stuck in my sinful ways. I find myself living a selfish life. Thinking that I am the only one who is important. Instead of living my life showing God’s love for me through my love for others.
      In the sixth line of the song we see a reference to Matthew 25:40 “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'” In this verse Jesus is referring back to the previous 6 verses where He is talking about how the righteous helped those in need. This is an area that is easy for me to struggle with. The culture we live in is constantly bombarding us with how we are take care of ourselves first. It isn’t popular to help those in need. In our current American culture those who need the most at times are thought of as being lazy. We would rather rationalize away their needs so that we won’t feel guilty fulfilling out own desires. Some of you may think that I am pointing the finger. I am! Right back at myself. I want to live my life so that when I die people might remember how I cared for others who had need.
      While reading through the lyrics to this song I am reminded of another passage from Matthew. In Matthew 22:37-39 where Jesus is answering the question of “What is the greatest commandment?” This song can be summed up by Jesus’ words in this passage.
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
    If we are to live a life that is so radically changed that people we don’t know can see it, we have to live our life sold out to God. In Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus touches on the two things that God is concerned about the most. Loving God and loving others. If we are to “Live Like That” then we need to live our lives completely sold out to God by loving Him most of all and loving others. When that fateful day comes and I pass away I would like people to say “I want to live like Joel did.” Not because of what I did on my own, but what I did by living my life completely sold out to God.

One thought on “Live Like That”

  1. Thanks, Joel, for these thought provoking paragraphs. Am I living my life for myself or for Jesus who is the giver of life. He is our example and gives us wisdom and strength to serve HIM.

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