At the conclusion of my 9th grade year, my core friend group fell apart after two members broke up, leaving me to face the start of 10th grade alone. Don’t get me wrong—I knew people at my high school, but most of them were what I’d classify as acquaintances. In other words, I could hold a meaningful and deep conversation with them, but none of them truly knew me. This longing for connection drove me to establish multiple friend groups during my 10th-grade year. I had my soccer group, choir group, math group, and even a group of people I met at a dance. However, each of these groups eventually faded, and once again, I was left alone with acquaintances and a lonely start to another year of school, still longing to connect with someone. As a matter of fact, this trend of fleeting connections has persisted throughout much of my life, with only a few close people ever truly sticking by me.
Amid this backdrop of loneliness and longing, I discovered my favorite hymn: “Our Savior’s Love”. While there are many reasons why I cherish this hymn, I feel it is more meaningful to focus on what it has taught me. Specifically, I want to highlight three lessons: how this hymn has changed the way I see others, how it has redefined the role I see myself playing, and how it has deepened my understanding of the Savior and our Heavenly Father.
To begin, picture a yellow circle in the center of your view, filled with people—maybe two or three, or perhaps as many as fifty. Now, imagine these people laughing together, sharing ideas, creating memories, being vulnerable, building trust, and forming genuine friendships.
Next, expand the picture outward to reveal a gray ring encircling the yellow circle. This ring is also filled with people, but they stand on the outside, observing those in the circle who are laughing and enjoying themselves. Some of these onlookers feel happiness, simply because they see others happy. Others feel sadness, as though they are missing out. Some are afraid to approach, fearing rejection from the group. And still others glance around at the other people in the gray ring, unsure of where they belong.
Finally, focus on the edge of the yellow circle. Here, you will find individuals looking outward toward those on the gray ring. Some of these people step out of the circle to meet those in the ring, often bringing them into the yellow circle, where they begin to flourish and find happiness. Others step out to gather a group from the gray ring, creating a new yellow circle of their own—one that, in turn, has its own gray ring surrounding it.
With this image in your mind, the first verse of “Our Savior’s Love” metaphorically compares the Savior’s love to the sun. In this image, that love is represented by the yellow circle, which is warm, inviting, and joyful. Later, the hymn says this love “breaks through clouds of strife,” symbolizing the inclusion of those who stand on the gray ring, looking toward the circle with longing and uncertainty. In all of this, however, we see not just the Savior’s love shining, but also its power to invite, uplift, and transform.
Since 10th grade, I have slowly come to recognize this symbolism. Every friend group, every person I meet, and every choice I make has, in some way, been influenced by this perspective of others. Often, I find myself identifying with those on the edge of the yellow circle—those who look outward toward the gray ring. Stepping out of my comfort zone, I do my best to reach out to those standing on the outer ring, who are longing for connection and pleading for a chance to find a group that will embrace them.
However, in these moments of reaching out to others, I’ve often stopped and looked around, only to realize that I was alone. Yet, as the hymn says, “the Spirit, voice of goodness, whispers to our hearts.” It was in these times of loneliness that I came to understand something profound: God and my Savior have never left me. In fact, they are the only ones who have consistently stayed by my side, showing me what it means to truly be committed to someone. That wholehearted, unwavering love is what I have constantly felt from them, even in my loneliest moments.
I bear my witness that God and Jesus Christ love every aspect of who we are. They do not merely give up on us, rather they stay consistent throughout each moment of our lives. It would be good for us to learn from them and reach out to those in need. In other words, embrace the edge of the circle. I testify of these things, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.