who loves ya, baby?

Its a tv classic. A bald detective pulls his trademark sucker from his mouth, looks at the camera, and asks "who loves ya, baby"?

Its perfect.

It's iconic.

But what does it mean?

We all understand that what the world needs now is love love love and that it's all we need. We are all looking for somebody to love.

Somebody?

Anybody?

What Kojak was trying to say is that WHO loves you is just as important as IF you are loved. In our hero's case, he was trying to say that since you are loved by him...you have nothing to fear. You are loved by someone who can make things happen. Obviously, being loved by someone unwilling or incapable can have disastrous consequences...if it even can be called love.

One of the reasons that saying "God loves you" has such an impact is for this very same reason. It's not about if this deity has any positive feelings toward me...but that the one who has all the resources of the universe has decided to turn them toward me.

Enjoy love, it's a beautiful thing, but rest knowing that the one who loves you...can.

Who loves ya, baby?

till he appeared...

just a short note this Christmas morning to honor the reason I have joy.

the world was dark

love hard to believe

hope a fools tale

joy impossible to achieve

despair seemed honest

loneliness ever-present

...till He appeared

and the soul felt it's worth.

This will always be the most meaningful sentence I've ever heard.

Merry Christmas.