Acoustically, Visually, Rhythmically, Originally, Dramatically, Comically, and down right entertainingly. But there is more! First, read these lyrics:

“Hello, it’s me
I was wondering if after all these years you’d like to meet
To go over everything
They say that time’s supposed to heal ya
But I ain’t done much healing

Hello, can you hear me
I’m in California dreaming about who we used to be
When we were younger and free
I’ve forgotten how it felt before the world fell at our feet

There’s such a difference between us
And a million miles

Hello from the other side
I must have called a thousand times
To tell you I’m sorry for everything that I’ve done
But when I call you never seem to be home

Hello from the outside
At least I can say that I’ve tried
To tell you I’m sorry for breaking your heart
But it don’t matter it clearly doesn’t tear you apart anymore . . . ”

Like many songs today centered around broken relationships, this song gave again another voice to the massive lament that our culture is singing: we are living in an increasingly sad world because we are no longer able to commit, to covenant, to love someone for the rest of our lives. In my reading there are many factors at play that is undermining the fabric of our culture and tearing apart the very garment that once held relationships together. But one way of describing what is at the center of this sociological sorrow is this:

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.”

(2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV)

I smile much when listening to this version of Hello. The above rendition of Hello is stimulating on every angle of entertainment – but one: Hope. The song is filled with despair – which is why it is so popular. There is so much hopelessness around us. Those who have the only hope – Jesus Christ – must love those whose hearts are broken with the same love that healed our broken hearts. Hello – unwittingly is calling for someone to love me no matter what I’ve done. The song is calling for someone to commit to me no matter what. The song is calling for someone to take away all the fractions in my soul that are making it impossible for me to love others and to be loved. The song is calling you to say Hello to Jesus – the only one who knows everything about you and still offers himself as water from a well that will never run dry. Please take the time to read John 4 today, and read yourself into the narrative. You’ll meet a man who wants to say Hello to you.