Love Isn't Love Till You Give It Away
John 21:15-25
Illustration
by Brett Blair

One night in New York, on Broadway, the great star Mary Martin was preparing to go on stage, as she had a 1000 times before, in Rodger & Hammerstain's South Pacific. Just before she took stage a note was handed her. The letter was signed Oscar Hammerstein who was that evening on his deathbed. The note was short. It simply said: “Dear Mary, A bell’s not a bell until you ring it. A song’s not a song until you sing it. Love in your heart is not put there to stay. Love isn’t love till you give it away.”

When the play was over the cast rushed her backstage and asked, “What happened? We’ve never seen you perform that way before?” Mary read to them Hammerstein’s note and said, “Tonight, I gave my love away.”

I can hear Jesus' words to Peter in that: Peter do you love me? Feed my sheep. Jesus was saying, Peter you know the song. Sing it! Peter you've got the bell. Ring it! "Peter, love isn't love till you give it away."

ChristianGlobe, Inc., by Brett Blair