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

Conductors: Mack Wilberg and Ryan Murphy
Organist: Linda Margetts
Announcer: Lloyd D. Newell

“Light Dawns on a Weary World”
Music: Mack Wilberg
Lyrics: Mary Louise Bringle

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

“Prelude in Classic Style” (organ solo)
Music: Gordon Young

“I Know That My Redeemer Lives”
Music: Lewis D. Edwards
Lyrics: Samuel Medley
Arrangement: Mack Wilberg

“Tuya es la Gloria (‘To Thee Be the Glory’)”
Traditional Latin American hymn
Arrangement: Mack Wilberg

“Where Love Is”²
Music: Joanne Bushman Doxey and Marjorie Castleton Kjar
Lyrics: Joanne Bushman Doxey and Norma B. Smith
Arrangement: Sam Cardon

“ O Come Ye Nations of the Earth”
Music: German hymn tune
Lyrics: David Warner
Arrangement: Mack Wilberg

1.  From the album Let Us All Press On.
2. From the album Love Is Spoken Here.

The Spoken Word

Unity, Liberty, Charity

For generations, people who want to live in harmony with others have been guided by a well-loved saying: “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”

It’s not hard to agree with such eloquent wisdom. What’s hard is separating the essentials from the nonessentials. But there are at least a few essentials that seem beyond question. Every person you meet—everyone who lives on this beautiful planet with you—is worthy of respect and compassion. We are all children of God, and because of that we each have inherent worth. It follows, then, that one of the essentials is the need to be unified in loving one another. As human beings, we are more alike than we are different.

As to nonessentials, we could think of many: tastes in food or music, preferences in activities and personalities. Although we value our similarities, it’s our differences that give richness and depth to our relationships. If we were all the same, there would be nothing to learn from each other. This is why we cherish individuality and honor the God-given liberty to choose.

And lastly, in all things and at all times, we need charity. After all, what good are unity and liberty if people don’t love one another? Unity would be hollow, and liberty would become selfishness. The Apostle Paul put it this way:

“Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; … is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; …

“Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

“Charity never faileth” (1 Corinthians 13:2–8).

Unity happens when people interact charitably with each other. And liberty works best when inspired by charity. In other words, if we want unity in essentials and liberty in nonessentials, then we need, in all things, charity.