When the iconic song “We Are the World” was recorded in 1985 by 45 prominent American recording artists, it sought to raise funds for millions of people suffering from famine in Africa, particularly Ethiopia.
The song became a global humanitarian anthem, generating millions of dollars in relief. Its central message remains simple yet powerful: When we unite in compassion and care for one another, we can make the world a better place.
During one of my visits to Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, I met a man who boldly declared, “I am the world.” To some, his statement might have sounded irrational, even lunatic. However, I chose to reflect on the deeper philosophical meaning behind his words.
From his personal perspective, the world he experiences exists through his own consciousness. Without his awareness, the world, as he knows and experiences it, would cease to exist for him.
When we are asleep or unconscious, our awareness of the world temporarily disappears. When we die, our earthly experience of the world comes to an end.
Of course, this does not mean that the external world ceases to exist; rather, it means that our personal experience of it ends.
This reflection leads me to another fascinating subject: reincarnation. It is the belief that after death, a person’s soul or some form of consciousness continues into another body or existence.
Reincarnation is understood differently across various religious and spiritual traditions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and certain spiritual movements. Sikhism also teaches rebirth, although its understanding of the soul and liberation differs from that of other traditions.
For those who believe in reincarnation, life is not necessarily an isolated event but part of a continuing spiritual journey. In this sense, one might draw a parallel between their understanding of life’s continuity and the song’s collective message: “We are the world.”
Our lives are interconnected, and our existence extends beyond our individual selves through our relationships, influence, and contributions to humanity.
Yet, an intriguing question arises: If we have lived previous lives, why can we not ordinarily remember them?
There is no universally accepted scientific evidence establishing reincarnation or proving that memories of previous lives are erased at death. From a scientific perspective, memory depends on the functioning of the brain, and what happens to personal consciousness after death remains a profound question at the intersection of science, philosophy, and faith.
I sometimes wonder about the phenomenon of déjà vu—those curious moments when a place, a face, or an event feels strangely familiar, as though I have experienced it before. Could such experiences suggest memories from another existence?
Some may entertain that possibility, but déjà vu is also explained by scientists as a phenomenon involving memory and the brain’s processing of familiarity. Personally, I have regarded these episodes with curiosity rather than drawing definitive conclusions.
As a Christian, however, my understanding of life, death, and eternity rests on a different foundation: faith in Jesus Christ and the promise of eternal life. The Bible declares in John 11:25–26, where Jesus says:
“I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” — John 11:25.
For Christians, death is not the ultimate end. Through Christ, we hold on to the hope of resurrection and eternal life—not through repeated earthly reincarnations, but through God’s saving grace and the promise of life with Him.
And so, after reflecting on the song, the Indonesian’s intriguing declaration, and the different beliefs about life’s continuity, I arrive at my own personal conclusion.
I am not the world. We are not the ultimate source of life or the center of all existence. Jesus Christ is our world—not in the geographical sense, but as the center of our faith, the source of our hope, and the foundation of our lives.
While “We Are the World” calls humanity to unite in love, generosity, and compassion, my Christian faith reminds me that the deepest expression of love begins with God, is revealed through Jesus Christ, and is demonstrated in how we serve our fellow human beings.
The question is not merely whether we are the world, but who or what is at the center of our world?
For me, the answer is clear: Jesus Christ is the center of my world, the hope of my salvation, and the promise of my eternal life. | NWI
