Jon Foreman - All of God's Children Lyrics
Lyrics
When the things that you can't hold onto
Are the ones that you wish you could keep
Are you really ready to pay for love
If it costs you everything
All of God's children
All of God's children
Shining underneath
Shining underneath
I believe in a world that's beyond me
I believe in a world I ain't seen
Past the glass
The shotgun shacks
The violent, faceless, racist facts
I believe in a world that's made clean
All of God's children
All of God's children
Shining underneath
Shining underneath
Underneath these wars
Underneath these walls
Underneath the bullet holes
I still don't know who we are
But it's shining underneath
Oh, I've been waiting for love to give birth
New life to show pain it's worth
I've been waiting for peace on earth
Like a newborn child
Oh, like a newborn child
Shining underneath
Is there a well that won't run empty
Is there a friend that can't be bought
Will you find him when you're thirsty
To learn the lessons that can't be taught
All of God's children
All of God's children
All of God's children
Shining underneath
Shining underneath
Shining underneath
Video
Jon Foreman - "All Of God's Children" (Official Audio)
Meaning & Inspiration
Jon Foreman’s "All of God's Children," released on May 26, 2015, arrives as a poignant reminder of enduring hope and inherent dignity in a fractured world. The song immediately delves into the profound questions of sacrifice and worth, prompting listeners to consider the true cost of love, asking if one is truly ready to give everything for it. This introspective opening sets the stage for a message deeply rooted in faith, challenging superficial attachments and inviting a journey toward deeper meaning. It acts as a spiritual gut-check, aligning with Christ's call to count the cost of discipleship, as seen in Luke 14:26-27, where He instructs that following Him requires prioritizing Him above all else, even family and one's own life.
At its core, the song is an affirmation of humanity's divine origin and the hidden light within each person. The recurring refrain, "All of God's children / Shining underneath," serves as a powerful declaration of identity and potential. This mirrors the Scriptural truth that believers are indeed children of God, granted this right through faith in Jesus (John 1:12), and that God’s Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are His children (Romans 8:16-17). The phrase "shining underneath" suggests an intrinsic, resilient light, a reflection of the Creator's image (Genesis 1:27) that persists despite external darkness or personal struggles, much like the light Jesus called His followers to be for the world (Matthew 5:14-16). It speaks to an unyielding divine presence, an inner glow that adversity cannot extinguish, a testament to God's careful and wonderful creation of each individual (Psalm 139:14).
Foreman expresses a deep yearning for a reality beyond present suffering, articulating a belief in "a world that's beyond me," one "made clean." This vision moves past visible societal brokenness—"the shotgun shacks / The violent, faceless, racist facts"—to embrace a spiritual hope. This sentiment powerfully resonates with the Christian hope for a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells and all things are made new and clean by God (Revelation 21:1-4, 2 Peter 3:13). It is an act of faith, believing in the unseen, as described in Hebrews 11:1, a conviction in things hoped for and an assurance of things not yet visible to the physical eye. This belief offers a radical alternative to despair, proposing that transformation is not only possible but promised.
Even amidst profound societal and personal turmoil, the song steadfastly points to an underlying truth. Foreman sings of "underneath these wars / Underneath these walls / Underneath the bullet holes," acknowledging the omnipresent brokenness of the human condition. Yet, the conviction remains: "it's shining underneath." This profound insight suggests that even when humanity is lost and confused, grappling with profound questions of identity and purpose, the divine spark, the inherent worth imparted by God, remains. This echoes the resilience of faith found in passages like 2 Corinthians 4:7-9, which speaks of being hard-pressed but not crushed, perplexed but not in despair, persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed, because we carry the light of Christ within us. It's a testament to the idea that even in our weakness, God's strength is made perfect (2 Corinthians 12:9).
The longing for peace and new life is palpable, as Foreman declares, "I've been waiting for love to give birth / New life to show pain it's worth / I've been waiting for peace on earth / Like a newborn child." This evokes the prophetic yearning for the Messiah, the Prince of Peace, whose arrival would bring healing and new beginnings (Isaiah 9:6-7). The imagery of a "newborn child" powerfully symbolizes fresh hope, innocence, and the transformative power of God's love, which can redeem even the deepest pain and usher in an era of true peace, much like the angels' proclamation at Christ's birth of "peace on earth to those on whom his favor rests" (Luke 2:14). It speaks to the ongoing spiritual rebirth that is possible for every individual, signifying a new creation in Christ where the old is gone and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Finally, the song poses a series of fundamental questions that drive straight to the heart of spiritual sustenance: "Is there a well that won't run empty / Is there a friend that can't be bought / Will you find him when you're thirsty / To learn the lessons that can't be taught?" These lines are a powerful, thinly veiled invitation to discover Jesus Christ. He is the living water who, once drunk, ensures one will never thirst again, welling up to eternal life (John 4:13-14, John 7:37-38). He is also the ultimate, unfailing friend, who laid down His life for His friends (John 15:13), offering a loyalty and love that money can never buy or corrupt. The "lessons that can't be taught" speak to spiritual wisdom and discernment that come only through divine revelation and intimacy with God, rather than mere academic instruction. "All of God's Children" thus becomes an anthem of profound spiritual encouragement, urging us to look beyond the visible struggles of life to recognize the divine light within ourselves and others, and to seek the ultimate source of enduring love, peace, and eternal life found only in God.