A Return to Radio

Does the radio make you feel nostalgic? Some of my earliest memories involve my dad listening to a particular news show on the radio as he got ready for work. I’d recognize the voice of the host anywhere. On summer road trips, we would listen to the Detroit Tigers in the car. Those voices still feel familiar. We've likely all listened to the radio less and less in recent years, replacing it with music streaming, audiobooks and podcasts. Still I occasionally like to tune into something local. Last year when my youngest was still being driven to school, he and I listened to a local trivia bit every morning.

In the last few weeks I’ve found myself listening to Moody Radio¹ with fair frequency. It is nice to catch a few snippets of a sermon or a good song or two without even changing the channel. It is a low-key way to feed yourself truth.

Last week my youngest son started his junior year of high school. Then yesterday my middle son drove 9 hours back to Athens. Tomorrow the oldest flies back to Knoxville. In this season of heading back to routine, of new marks of maturity, I heard the sweetest snippet on Moody Radio. I bet it touched a lot of people all over the nation. Here is the link, but I’ll tell you why it was special for me.

When we came home from the hospital with my youngest son, a sweet friend brought us dinner and gifts. One of the gifts was the book Love You Forever. I had never read the book before and perhaps it is always impossible for a mother to read it aloud for the first time without crying, but I snuggled up with my five-year-old and my three-year-old, and began to read. The newborn was sleeping nearby and my mom was there, too. She sat on the floor and I listened as I got progressively more choked up with each page turned. At less than two days postpartum it was a wonder I could finish it.

In the radio show, the host and guest recount an event three decades ago where the children’s book Love You Forever was read to a group of mostly older Americans. The reader is accompanied by a celeste, which is a bell-piano. The recording of the event was misplaced for many years and has resurfaced. The story of how it came about and the “reading” itself are worth your time. I’d love to know what you think of it. If you only have a few minutes, start the recording at the 14 minute mark and listen to the book being read.

But here’s the question at the root of why the book, and especially the radio clip, are so moving: Does our culture value life?

The answer is no. Not really.

The culture values fame and fortune, notoriety and influence, physical appeal (no matter how superficial), and of course power. But not life. Not life for life’s sake. The heartbreaking reality of the radio clip is that we know this is wrong. Deep in our souls we know we were made to love and value one another, at our youngest and most dependent, and at our oldest and least attractive. Every second of life is precious in the sight of God and we are called to emulate Him.

Do you treat others as “fearfully and wonderfully made” by a loving Creator? Do you acknowledge that the least likable person you know is of infinite worth knit together by God in his or her mother’s womb?

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Romans 12:10

Digging Deeper:

1. Where do you see life de-valued? Why do you think 2022 was record breaking for suicides?

2. Who needs to hear that you love them today? Who needs to hear that God loves them today?

3. What do you enjoy about listening to the radio?

1. Christian music stations are great too but I have a growing appreciation for the diversity of programing on Moody.