I am a major fan of southern rock, and I have long enjoyed the music of bands like Collective Soul, Third Day and NEEDTOBREATHE. In that same musical vein, I was immediately drawn to Rhett Walker Band. Their debut album Come to the River included the hit title track and "When Mercy Found Me," which are both personal faith expressions about what God has done in their lives. The band returned with their sophomore album, Here's to the Ones, available everywhere October 14.

The album was preceded by "Broken Man," and also includes the catchy songs "Clone," "Here's to the Ones" and the convicting and infectious single "Love Like Jesus." I had the chance to speak with Rhett about "Love Like Jesus."

Please tell me the personal story behind this song.

The whole album is kind of neat because it is everything we wanted to say. That's one of the reasons that "Love Like Jesus" was a big deal to me. Matt Maher started the chorus, and he sent it to me about a year and a half ago. It wasn't planned to be on the album. I loved the song and the chorus, but we had already written the album. There was something about the song that we kept coming back to, and when the label said we could add a couple more songs, I knew this was the perfect song.

It is a reminder. You wake up every morning, and the main thing you think about is how your day will be affected and how you will affect other people. I try to love like Jesus in every scenario, and we try to keep that in the forefront of our minds. You can only live life to the fullest by loving like Jesus. Lord, have mercy, because that is easier said than done, because people are crazy. Once you figure that out, it all gets easier.

Which Bible verses connect to the message of the song?

1 Corinthians 13:4-13 (ESV): "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

Acts 20:35-36 (NLT): And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" When he had finished speaking, he knelt and prayed with them.

What is the takeaway message?

This song ties in hand in hand with the message of the album. Sometimes we take ourselves way too seriously. It's almost like we are trying to earn some trophy from Jesus. We think "if I do this many devotions, say this many prayers, sing this many lines of 'Just As I Am,' then God will be happy with me today." I've run into a lot of people who believe that sort of thing.

What I believe is that if we are a Christian, and we believe Jesus was who He said, then that should guide your every action. Not just your devotions, prayers, church services and songs. That's what this song is all about. I want to try to live every moment of every day with an attitude like Jesus.

It is easy to get depressed from events in the world. We wanted this song to be a reminder of hope. Jesus is who He said. That's one true promise we can stand on. On that foundation, let's run with it. "Dance like fire," "sing like freedom," "laugh and cry" and soak it all up.

Lyrics:
Starting right here, right now
I'm turning another page
And I know somehow
There's got to be a better way
I don't want to live head down
Dragging my regrets around

I don't wanna miss this life
Waiting on the other side
Got to dance like fire
Sing like freedom
Laugh and cry
And live and die
And still believing
Got to run like wild
While I'm breathing
Standing strong as I press on
And keep on dreaming
And love like Jesus

Most of my life I've tried
Leaning on what I think I know
I held on too tight
But I'm learning to let it go 
I don't wanna reach the end
Wishing I could start again

Don't wanna watch the world go round
If I'm gonna make it count
Got to dance like fire
Sing like freedom
Laugh and cry
And live and die
And still believing
Got to run like wild
While I'm breathing
Standing strong as I press on
And keep on dreaming
And love like Jesus

Shine like star light
In the shadow
Move like mountains
Love like Jesus
Got to dance like fire
Sing like freedom
Laugh and cry
And live and die
And still believing

Got to run like wild
While I'm breathing
Standing strong as I press on
And keep on dreaming
And love like Jesus
I'm gonna love
I'm gonna love like Jesus

A couple of lines in the song that really grab me are "move like mountains," "sing like freedom," and "laugh and cry and live and die and still believing." One of my all-time favorite songs is "Live Like You Were Dying" by Tim McGraw for the "seize the moment" message of the song, which also celebrates living a life for what matters and loving others.

A couple of the themes the Lord has shown me this past year and something the Lord seems to want His followers to hear from artists of faith in their music is to not allow circumstances to dictate joy and to remember to love one another as Christ loved the Church. That's how people will know His love, by having faith that moves mountains and finding joy in Christ regardless of how we are feeling or what we are going through.

"They'll know we are Christians by our Love" was a hymn I grew up singing and although I used to think the song was a works-based message, I've come to realize that it more lines up with the Golden Rule and Christ's greatest commandments to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength and to love your neighbor as yourself." This song absolutely celebrates that sentiment.

My pastor recently preached on 1st Corinthians 13 and pointed out that you can in fact substitute the name above all names, Jesus, for "love" in the passage, and He demonstrated all of the characteristics we are called to have as His followers. This song reminds me to live like Jesus, to have love that is patient, kind and never rude. This is a great song to express your commitment to run the race well as a believer. Sing along and proclaim these words as a prayer:"Got to run like wild, while I'm breathing, standing strong as I press on, and keep on dreaming, and love like Jesus." Amen to that!

(Watch the music video here.)