The Music & the Spoken Word broadcast airs live via TV, radio, and internet stream on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. mountain time. For information on other airtimes, visit “Airing Schedules” at musicandthespokenword.org.

Music

Conductor: Mack Wilberg
Organist: Andrew Unsworth
Announcer: Lloyd D. Newell

“All Creatures of Our God and King”¹
Music: German hymn tune
Lyrics: St. Francis of Assisi; transl. William H. Draper
Arrangement: Mack Wilberg

“I Feel My Savior’s Love”²
Music: K. Newell Dayley
Lyrics: Ralph Rodgers Jr., K. Newell Dayley, and Laurie Huffman
Arrangement: Sam Cardon

“Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” (organ solo)
Music: Johann Sebastian Bach
Arrangement: Andrew Unsworth

“Hark, All Ye Nations!”¹
Music: George F. Root
Lyrics: Louis F. Mönch
Arrangement: Mack Wilberg

“Lord, I Would Follow Thee”³
Music: K. Newell Dayley
Lyrics: Susan Evans McCloud

“May We Be More like Thee”
Music: Mack Wilberg
Lyrics: Lloyd D. Newell

“Press Forward, Saints”¹
Music: Vanja Y. Watkins
Lyrics: Marvin K. Gardner
Arrangement: Mack Wilberg

1. From the album Let Us All Press On.
2. From the album Love Is Spoken Here.
3. From the album Hymns of Faith.

The Spoken Word

The Highest, Holiest, Happiest Way

More than 2,000 years ago, Jesus of Nazareth taught a higher, holier way—higher than what religious leaders of His day were teaching and certainly higher than our natural inclinations. Perhaps the most stunning of His invitations is this one: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).

It’s easy to love our friends. And with just a bit of effort, we can love a stranger. But to love those who hate us—is that even possible when the world and our own instincts tell us to fight back, to retaliate, and to return mistreatment with hatred? Wouldn’t loving our enemies make us weak and vulnerable?

To the contrary, loving our enemies requires the deepest courage and inner strength. What’s more, it gives us access to strength beyond our own.¹ That doesn’t mean we put ourselves in dangerous or abusive situations; instead, we courageously put negative feelings behind us.

Yes, it’s true that in life we encounter people who make life difficult, even unbearable at times. But evil will not be lessened with more conflict and strife. It’s a great fallacy that you can fight fire with fire; firefighters know that water works much better. Nothing extinguishes an inflammatory situation quite like kindness, compassion, and love.

That is the higher, holier way. And it’s the happier way too, even if it’s the harder way. We may feel that it takes a miracle to love an enemy. Well, the Master who commanded us to love our enemies happens to be a God of miracles. Those who have put the Lord’s teachings to the test are witnesses of His miracles—sometimes a change of heart in our enemy, but more often a change in our own hearts.

Love creates far more happiness and peace than retaliation could ever offer. It’s no wonder Jesus promised His kingdom to the poor in spirit, the blessings of the earth to the meek, and mercy to the merciful (see Matthew 5:3, 5, 7).

By teaching us such heavenly principles, the Savior taught us how to be more like Him. There is nothing higher to which we could possibly aspire. His way truly is the highest, holiest, happiest way.

1. See “Lord, I Would Follow Thee,” Hymns, no. 220.