“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” — Matthew 20:26 Humble service is about serving because Christ served. It’s about putting others’ needs ahead of your own. It’s about forming a leadership role to encourage others to join in. It’s about acting without expecting recognition. It’s about letting God shape your heart through ordinary...
“You will be My witnesses…” — Acts 1:8 We can all be called faithful witnesses. We may be called to the courtroom to describe a crime that occurred. Some of us have likely witnessed a car accident and were asked by law enforcement to tell the truth about what we saw. Local new media rushes to the scene of a weather event, looking for eyewitnesses who can explain what happened. When I was a small...
“Apart from Me you can do nothing.” — John 15:5 We depend on things each morning as we begin our day: the alarm to wake us, the coffee pot to start brewing, hot water from the shower head, and our car to start. How is it that, for many of us, the God that determines our next breath is an afterthought? Each morning, we stand at the trailhead of our day. Will we rely on God’s direction or opt...
“If you love Me, keep My commands.” — John 14:15 Walking life’s trails eventually reveals what kind of walker you are. Your own determination, strength, and persistence do not guarantee you’ll reach the trail’s end safely. Some trails are wide and forgiving. Others narrow quickly and demand attention. In the same way, a disciple discovers early that hearing God’s Word is...
“As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” — Proverbs 27:17 As Boy Scouts, we learned several lessons while hiking together. We kept an eye on the slower hikers, learned leadership by taking the point, learned accountability by keeping everyone on the trail, learned brotherhood by sharing stories of the experiences, and learned communication skills that kept everyone safe. When men...
Do you see kindness as a weakness—or controlled strength in action? God’s word and the world are at direct odds in their definitions. God’s word sees kindness as essential; it reflects God’s heart. The world considers kindness as optional—something you do when the mood strikes or when you feel good. God’s word sees kindness as a strength, while the world sees it as a...
Goodness doesn’t trend. It doesn’t get shared, reposted, or noticed. Moral excellence may be a definition for goodness that sounds more familiar. The world defines moral excellence by reputation. God describes it as righteousness. True goodness is integrity in motion—doing what’s right when no one’s keeping score. The world says, a man with integrity pays his taxes on time, treats people fairly...
The world treats faithfulness as conditional, situational, and often negotiable. Faithfulness, in modern culture, lasts only as long as it’s convenient—as long as the effort is paying dividends. I’m writing this post in December, as end-of-year conversations start to lean toward New Year’s resolutions, I thought I’d gather a few facts on faithfulness. Drive Research reports that...
We may have similar definitions for these three terms, so, to keep things straight, the Bible defines Kindness as compassion in action, Goodness as moral integrity and righteous action, and Gentleness as strength under control. The world teaches men that gentleness is a weakness. God’s word tells us gentleness (reasonableness) is power under control. When Paul wrote, “Let your gentleness be...
Do you see self-control as restriction—or real freedom? The world and God’s Word couldn’t be further apart on what it means to be free. The world says, “Do what feels good.” God says, “Do what is right.” The world celebrates indulgence; God calls it discipline. The world defines freedom as doing whatever you want. God defines it as living under His control. The world sees restraint as weakness...