Being a Christian isn’t just keeping Jesus to ourselves, it’s also about finishing the race that God has set out for each of us in our walks. Look at injustice in the world through God’s eyes and you can’t help but be moved to act like Paul and Silas. Jesus commands believers to love others as He loved us, and to show His love by helping people who can’t help themselves. There is so much injustice in the world on so many levels.

Steve Hare seeks to impact the world wherever the Lord gives him influence, and does so as Senior Pastor and Worship Leader at Faith City Family Church in Newark, Del., and as the CEO/Founder of the Reach Radio Network. And now he can add Christian pop singer to his substantial ministry resume.
 

Hare's DREAM Records debut, Heart Like Your Own, featured one of the best producers in the business, Seth Mosley, who said of Steve: "It was my pleasure getting to do this record with Steve. I am a firm believer in his heart for reaching people wherever they are, whether its in the seats on a Sunday morning, or on the streets of Philly. "Heart Like Your Own" is a prayer that anyone can get behind, that we would see people the way God sees and simply love the way He does." 

 

I had the opportunity to interview Steve about his current single, the album's title track. 

 

Please tell me the message behind the song "A Heart Like Your Own."
 

When this song was written, the purpose was to be a pivot point when you need a new start. Sometimes walls are built in our life whether intentionally or not, God wants to help us break them down so we can experience freedom, freedom from ourselves, our insecurities and our past. I personally believe it all begins and ends with the heart. The thoughts that come from our hearts are so critical. Jesus taught us about how man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks at our hearts. I really believe that this song is a reminder to try to be more like God, and to see things in our world the way He sees them. We need freedom from ourselves. Sometimes our biggest enemy isn't Satan, sometimes it's our own selfishness that gets in the way. We need to try to be more like Him. That's what this song is about.

 

1 Samuel 13:14: "But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you."

 

...Acts 13:22: "And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.'"

 

...and 1 Corinthians 13:13: "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

 

How can listeners apply that message in their walks as Christians when they listen to the song?
 

For some people, asking to be more like God is risky and takes them out of their comfort zone. It puts us in a place where God can do great things through our lives. The purpose of this song is to ask God to break our hearts of the things we don't want to let go. We are all holding onto things that if we don't let go will ultimately hurt us.

I lived out the lyrics of this song originally when in 1995 I drove into one of the most ravaged neighborhoods in Philadelphia. It was littered with crime and substance abuse. When I drove into that area, there was a young teenage boy sitting in a wheelchair wearing black gloves, and he was smoking some illegal substance. I slowed down and looked into his eyes. I saw a desperation and an emptiness, and I began to weep in my car.

I've never audibly heard the voice of God, but I know when I get that gut feeling that these are the places that God has called me to go. It was time to get myself out of the way, stop being a cookie cutter anything, but follow God's calling. I may have white skin, red hair and blue eyes, but God has called me into areas where people don't look like me and I need to earn their trust. I need to love people and meet them where they are. That's how Jesus saved me. He met me where I was. God told me to get my traditions out of the way and allow Him to use me. Traditions can be good, but there are some traditions that can destroy our transitions to where God wants to take us next.

 

 

"A Heart Like Your Own" is a great prayer to rid ourselves of worldly distractions and temptations that lead us away from God and instead pray to "be a man after God's own heart." The theme is relatable for all believers and truly has a David-like psalmist yearning for God. 

 

If the church doesn't respond to the world's brokenness, it would be the greatest tragedy in all of history. We have what it takes! We have the very love of God in our hearts. We have faith to see the impossible come to pass, and we have a God that's waiting to back us up in this mission. Ask God to open your eyes today. Ask Him to reveal His footsteps, so you can follow them. They will lead you to some amazing places. 

 

That's His heart, to care for the oppressed, the victimized and the "least of these." When I listen to this song I think of the bridge of my all-time favorite worship song, "Hosanna" written by Brooke Fraser for Hillsong United. "Show me how to love like You have loved me, Break my heart for what breaks Yours, Everything I am for Your Kingdom's cause."

 

Asbury's Bible commentary says, "In a word, the pursuit of love succinctly describes the Christian way of life." As Steve and I discussed the song and the message, we talked about how we are commanded to love others by Jesus. This song challenges me to think about how well I am loving others. 1 John 4:19 says, "We love because He first loved us." Amen.

 

(You can listen to the song here.)