The Shoop Shoop Song

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:1-5 ESV).

Betty Everett’s song, The Shoop, Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss), rocketed to the top of the charts when she released it in 1964. As I was reading this morning’s verses, I was reminded of it. The lyrics are interesting:

Does he love me? I want to know. How can I tell if he loves me so? Is it in his eyes? Oh no! You'll be deceived. Is it in his sighs? Oh no! He'll make believe. If you want to know if he loves you so, it's in his kiss. That's where it is! Is it in his face? Oh no! That's just his charms. In his warm embrace? Oh no! That's just his arms. If you want to know if he loves you so, it's in his kiss. That's where it is. It's in his kiss. That's where it is. Kiss him and squeeze him tight. Find out what you want to know. If it's love, if it really is, it's there in his kiss How about the way he acts. Oh no! That's not the way. And you're not list'nin' to all I say, if you wanna know if he loves you so, it's in his kiss. That's where it is. It's in his kiss. That's where it is. Kiss him and squeeze him tight. Find out what you want to know. If it's love, if it really is, it's there in his kiss. How about the way he acts, oh no! That's not the way. And you're not list'nin' to all I say. If you wanna know if he loves you so, it's in his kiss. That's where it is, it's in his kiss. That's where it is?

“It’s in his kiss” is the declaration of this little song. It is a message we need to be reminded of when we face our own trials. It is so common to measure God’s love for us by the level of comfort we are experiencing at the time. However, that is not the truth of Scripture. Job’s “friends” asked Job this very question. They accused Job of some great sin, which resulted in his calamity. The whole message of Job dispels that lie. Our circumstances have never been a reliable index either to our spiritual status or our value in God’s eyes.

Look at some of the examples of Scripture. For more than a dozen years, Joseph was either a slave or prisoner in a country where he had no civil rights and no legal protection. By today’s common wisdom, anything beyond a few days or weeks of suffering would be taken as solid proof that God had abandoned Joseph. Job lost his fortune, his health, and his friends. By today’s rule, God had forgotten that upright and God-fearing man. A faith-filled prayer should have healed him. That it didn't would be taken as incontrovertible evidence for God's failure in Job's life, if not for his nonexistence. There are many others also, but the truth remains that today’s wisdom is wrong. There is absolutely no correlation between your circumstances today and God's faithful love. If you want to know how much God loves you, like Betty Everett said, “It’s in His kiss.” You may best experience that kiss as you allow yourself to dwell on the sacrifice Jesus made in the cross. Let Him wrap His arms around you today and kiss you gently. He will, even in the most trying of times.