Honest Reflections

Two-minute read.

In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul defines love. A verb, not a noun, Christ-like love requires actions; it never loses faith, always has hope, and endures in all circumstances. Jesus’s actions on the cross demonstrate perfect love. He fulfilled all those requirements, willingly dying for us. And He gave us eternal hope when the Savior walked out of the tomb. We can love because Jesus first loved us. Tapping into His strength, we will find all we need to love others well.

Derek Redmond ran in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. During the Men’s 400-meter semi-final, he tore his hamstring. Determined to finish the race, he hobbled along the track towards the finish line. From the stands, a man came rushing out onto the track, dodging security and coming alongside the injured runner. Placing his arm around the injured runner’s shoulders, he helped cross the finish line. Derek Redmond’s father epitomized love in action, telling his son with his actions, “I got you.”

Love does that, it tells us, “I got you; I’m going to help you finish the race and reach your destination.” Jesus did that on the cross for us, and every day, we can do it for others. When we love others unconditionally, we’ll do what it takes to help them accomplish their goals. As Christ’s followers, we share the same finish line: loving God and others while sharing the gospel. Nothing spreads God’s words faster than acts of love that let people know they matter.

The price we pay for something tells us its value. When Jesus died on the cross for us, paying for us with his very life, He gave us immeasurable value, something He offered to everyone. All people matter to the Savior, no matter the color of their skin or their economic status. When they nailed Christ’s hands and feet to the cross, causing Him unspeakable pain, He did it for the love of us, to show each one of us how much we matter to Him. And we should do the same, loving others for the Savior.

Become an avid lover of people. Don’t sit on the sidelines, run down to the track, meet them in their pain, and help them cross the finish line. Living for Jesus will help you do what He did. As we follow the Savior and learn the lessons He taught, we will become lovers of people. Everyone who comes before us today, the Savior died for. He valued them, and we should, too. When we go the distance with others, loving them unconditionally, we bless the Lord, and help make heaven crowded.

Journal Questions:

Who has shown you unconditional love in your life?

How can you become a better lover of people?

Who can you help get across the finish line today?

Application:

Gratitude fuels love.

Two-minute read.

Remaining teachable and having trustworthy teachers helps you grow in wisdom and stature. People who think they know everything don’t leave room for learning, and as Christ followers, we always have more to learn. Some people today believe only in Jesus as a teacher, known for His parables, challenging people’s beliefs, and living out what He taught. As our Savior, He taught us how to live, experiencing the pain and heartache we do, so that we could relate to Him. As a result, when we follow the Lord, He takes us on a journey of growth by revealing truth to us and imparting wisdom.

When Jesus taught, He did so with authority from the Lord. As we follow His teachings, we’ll come to understand our need for forgiveness and grace. Accepting our sinful nature opens the door to spiritual growth. Confessing and repenting of our sins binds us to Christ as we accept His love and mercy. Jesus teaches us how to live out our salvation by putting God’s commands into practice. Loving the Lord and others helps us fulfill the Great Commission to share the gospel to the ends of the earth.

Paul, the writer of the majority of the New Testament, followed in Jesus’s footsteps, planted churches, and taught people about the Savior and the transformational power of faith in Christ. In essence, Paul became a mentor to the new church. Through his writings, we can learn much about following Jesus. We need people in our lives who have gone before us, who have learned the lessons we have yet to learn.

One of my mentors I met over twenty years ago. After we met, I asked her to do a Bible study with me, and that began a lifelong friendship. For years, we met every two weeks for coffee and talked about life and how I could apply God’s principles to mine as she shared her experiences with me. Everyone should have a mentor in their life.

In addition, we should mentor others by sharing the lessons we’ve learned. For example, in tennis, to become the best player, you should play against someone better than you, someone at the same level, and someone not as good. By doing so, you develop all aspects of your game. We can apply the same principle to mentoring: someone farther along than us on our walk, someone in the same place, and someone behind us. Then we will have well-balanced spiritual growth.

Thank God for the mentors in your life, the friends that walk with you, and those you help grow and mature. Engaging in life with other Christ followers, at all levels, will lead to an abundant life.

Journal Questions:

Who has mentored you in your walk with Jesus?

Who walks with you in your spiritual journey?

Who do you help grow in their walk with Jesus?

Application:

Appreciate the wisdom you gain from others.

Two-minute read.

Difficult times test friendships, but true friends will weather the storm with you. God places friends in our lives to help us through life’s challenges. My first best friend remains one of my best friends. I love saying, “Our mothers were pregnant together!” Born six months, almost to the day, before me, I had no idea when we played house in her attic of the roller coaster life would take us on, but riding it together has made it better. I thank the Lord for placing her in my life and for giving me a lifelong friend who goes the distance.

Over the years, the Creator has added to my bouquet of friends. From every stage of life, I’ve acquired another beautiful flower. Going through the trials of life forged a friendship in ways nothing else will. From persevering through college days to flying the skies and serving peanuts as a flight attendant, the Lord gave me special people in each chapter. When I gave Jesus authority over my adult heart, He brought fellow believers into my life to spur me onward.

My closest friendships have Christ at the center, the cord that binds us like nothing else. We strive to honor and serve the Savior together. Praying for each other helps us overcome the mountains we face. Holding each other accountable allows us to grow and mature in our faith. Showing up for each other in the storm, we become God’s hands and feet, offering an anchor to keep us on course. Friends celebrate each other’s victories and cry over each other’s losses. Developing Christ-centered friendships helps us live life to the fullest as we cheer each other on to victory.

To have good friends, we must become a good friend. The Savior shows us how to develop healthy relationships by leading with grace and mercy, loving unconditionally, and putting their needs before ours, paving the way for strong connections. As we apply Jesus’s teachings to our lives, we will quickly discover how to cultivate healthy relationships with God and others. As the golden rule says, treat others as you would like them to treat you. If you want meaningful relationships, develop them.

Troubles will come, and when you have a bouquet of friends around you, they will help you survive the storm. Showing up for others in their storms creates lasting connections. Loving people takes work, but it has the greatest rewards. Submitting your life to Jesus develops a friendship that will lead you along the right path, helping you grow your garden and fill it with friendships that will last long after this life ends.

Journal Questions:

Who has God placed in your life that has proven a good friend?

How do you develop healthy friendships?

In what way has Jesus helped you grow your garden of relationships?

Application:

Thank God for companionship.

Two-minute read.

Prizing our parents highly, caring and showing affection for them honors them and fulfills the fifth commandment, the only one with a promise. When we respect the people who gave us life, the Lord says He will provide us with long life. Everyone has imperfect parents. I gained many good qualities from mine, but also a few bad ones. We shouldn’t expect perfection from imperfect people. But our parents play a unique role in our lives, and we can easily place them on pedestals, only to experience disappointment when they fall.

After my dad died, I struggled with the idea that I had to live perfectly for his memory. Because I placed him on a pedestal, idolizing him, when he died, it revealed his humanity to me and devastated me. I thought I would always have him in my life, but then, in a moment, he left this world, and me. At the tender age of sixteen, I didn’t know how to process these events, so I internalized them, which stunted my growth. My immature conclusions led me down treacherous paths that harmed me.

As an adult, I have a different perspective. My father had many faults and suffered greatly in his life, but he never stopped trying to serve God. Raising his children in the faith, he set an example for us to follow. Knowing he didn’t have all the answers, my father introduced us to the one who did. Caring for him during his last days on earth, we all rallied around him and did what we could to comfort him as he battled lung cancer. After a lifetime in the coal mines and a three-pack-a-day smoker, he developed black lung that took his life.

In the same way, honoring my mom, caring for her through sickness, and holding her hand as she passed from this life to the following comforts me. Knowing I did all I could for my parents, honoring them to the best of my ability, comforts me now that they live in heaven. Knowing we will one day see each other again gives me peace and understanding that I honored my father and mother as God commands.

Thank God for the parents He gave you; if they did nothing else right, they gave you life, and that deserves honor. Our moms and dads did the best they could in whatever circumstances they found themselves—honoring them the best way you know how pleases the Lord. Forgive them for their shortcomings and thank them for giving you life. Jesus’s grace extends to all who will accept it, and as His followers, we should follow His example. Christ honored His heavenly Father and earthly mother, and we should do the same.

Journal Questions:

How do you honor your father and mother?

In what ways have you had to forgive your parents?

What can you do for your parents today that will honor them in a new way?

Application:

Gratitude begins at home.

Two-minute read.

Contentment, in today’s verse, means “a mind that is contented with its situation in life” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary). Our thoughts lead to our contentment. We can wallow in self-pity, or we can use gratitude to help us find the joy of the Lord. Where our minds go, everything else goes. If we allow our thoughts to follow a rabbit trail of despair, they will lead us into dark pits. But if we focus our minds on things above, we’ll discover hope.

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Colossians 3:2

True godliness develops when we set our minds on things above, instead of things of this world. By relying on God’s promises, we’ll focus on the hope of His word rather than on the brokenness around us. A friend comes to mind, experiencing extreme pain, stuck in a hospital bed, the doctor’s unsure of how to treat her, who put on air pods, played her worship playlist, and raised her hands to God, singing His praises. She set her mind on things above, and not the earthly things surrounding her. As a result, she found contentment and true wealth, despite her bleak circumstances.

Memorizing scripture and writing it on your heart will help you focus your mind on things above. The more time and effort you put into your relationship with the Lord, the more you will experience true contentment. God doesn’t lie; He tells us we will have struggles in this world, but Jesus overcame them on the cross. We need not fear, nor fret. Everything we need we have in the Savior.

Playing golf, we had to wait for the players ahead of us to move before we could tee off. On an unseasonably 70-degree day in January, the sun shone bright in the blue skies. Deciding to rest, I sat on the hill of the tee box, then lay back and looked up at the beautiful sky above me, white puffy clouds floating along without a care in the world. And I thought, “When you’re in the pit, you have no place to look but up.”

Set your mind on things above. If you find yourself in the pit today, look up. Thank God for His presence in your life, His love for you, and the grace that never ends. Focus your thoughts on the Lord’s promises. Search the internet for scriptures that apply to your circumstances, then cling to them. As you begin to praise the Savior, meditate on His word, and focus your eyes above, you find a heart filled with gratitude and the true wealth of godly contentment.

Journal Questions:

Where do you tend to focus your thoughts?

Which one of God’s promises can you cling to today?

How do you find contentment by looking up?

Application:

Thankfulness quiets comparison.

Two-minute read.

Sometimes, life seems like a maze. Standing at a crossroads, we must decide which path to take. As we analyze each of our choices, we must choose between better and best, not good or bad. Last week’s message at church emphasized what makes spiritual champions: they choose between better and best. But how do we know which one to follow? Instead of relying on our understanding, we seek God’s will and allow Him to choose for us. When we do, He will make our paths straight.

Putting away Christmas decorations, Ron handed me boxes through the attic window, and I arranged them. When we got to the 7-foot Christmas tree, I found it heavy and hard to handle. While I struggled to drag it to the back of the attic, Ron peppered me with questions about what I wanted next. Irritation rose within me as I continued to battle the big, heavy box. Couldn’t he wait until I got the tree put away? Can’t he see how much I’m struggling? As I processed these thoughts, I realized I had choices on how I answered.

I could use mean words that would hurt him.

I could say nothing at all.

I could ignore his questions and act like I couldn’t hear him.

Or I could respond with kindness.

Before I said a word or chose my path, I lifted a prayer to the Lord to help manage my irritation and not say something I would regret. Instantly, my thoughts changed, and I acknowledged that the irritation came not from his questions but from my exhaustion. After working all day, I felt tired and just wanted the job done. And so did Ron. Instead of snapping at my husband, I asked him to wait until I finished putting the tree away before asking me any more questions.

God showed me the best path to take, one that didn’t harm our relationship or cause us to quarrel. We finished the project and spent the rest of the afternoon in peace. By seeking the Lord’s will, I avoided the consequences of following mine, and He did give us a straight path that led to harmony.

When we seek the Savior and His will, He does direct our paths. The Holy Spirit, always active within us, will prompt us in the right direction if we allow Him to do so. But God doesn’t go where He’s not wanted, and if we don’t invite Him into our lives, He doesn’t come. Ask the Lord for His direction, follow the Spirit’s promptings, and live in divine peace with God and others.

Journal Questions:

When have you chosen the wrong path?

How can you remember to invite God into your circumstances?

In what way has God led you down the right path?

Application:

Thank God for His direction.

Two-minute read.

People followed Jesus wherever He went, in crowds numbering in the thousands. Everywhere the Savior went, people cried for His attention, and He gave it to them, willingly and with kindness. But Christ also knew that to serve God’s children well, He must center His life on the Father, spending time with Him as well as people. To love God and love others, we must spend time with both. Spending time with the Savior will lead you to quiet places where you can find rest.

Each morning, for longer than I can remember, I spend quiet time with the Lord. No matter what happened the day before, my soul finds rest as I commune with the Savior. Reading His word holds a mirror up to my life, searching my heart and revealing areas I need to repent and receive His grace. Journaling helps me focus my thoughts on God, allowing His Spirit to rejuvenate me. Praying over the day ahead invites the Lord into my life and begins a conversation that will last until bedtime. In my early morning hours, away from the world, I find rest.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

In a world that never sleeps, we can find rest in the Savior. Getting away from the crowds and spending time with the Creator will help you center your life on the Rock, who will give you everything needed to fulfill your purpose. As a flight attendant, they taught the golden rule of caring for others during an emergency. When the oxygen masks fall, make sure to put yours on first; otherwise, you can’t help others. If you can’t breathe, you can’t help others breathe. In the same way, if we don’t find rest and renewal, we can’t serve people for the Lord. Taking care of your needs doesn’t make you selfish. Jesus spent time alone with the Father to do His ministry, and we must do the same.

Plan rest times into your schedule. Spending time with God daily will help you tap into the divine rest He offers. Let the Lord share your burdens, allowing Him to lighten your load so you can love others more fully. Thank God for the rest He gives you, following Jesus’s example of getting away from the crowds and spending time alone with the Father.

Journal Questions:

How much rest do you feel you get?

In what ways has tiredness caused you not to love well?

What can change in your schedule to make rest in the Lord a priority?

Application:

Express gratitude for renewal.

Two-minute read.

Small blessings matter as much, if not more than, large ones. In today’s parable, Luke emphasizes honesty and trustworthiness with what God gives you. Stewarding small blessings well causes them to grow into larger ones. The shrewd manager got fired for mishandling his master’s money, so he quickly went out and cut people’s debts in half, more than likely discounting the interest he would have earned. As a result, he pleased the master, made friends, and used his worldly resources to benefit others.

As the Lord pours blessings into your life, let them flow through you to others. Moving into a new house, I couldn’t wait to share the tranquility we found here with friends and family. I began asking God to send us people to host. And He did, sending us a friend who stays with us a couple of nights a week to shorten his commute to work. The Lord blessed us, and we share it with others. Giving the weary rest restores their soul and strengthens them for their journey. Creating a safe space where others feel comfortable provides shelter from the world’s challenges.

When we share our small blessings, we please the Lord, steward them well, and benefit others. As a result, everyone gets blessed even more, multiplying God’s offerings. When Jesus fed the 5000 with two loaves of bread and five fish, a small blessing from a boy’s lunch turned into a feast for thousands. Taking the bread, thanking His Father for it, breaking it, and distributing it, the disciples filled twelve baskets with broken pieces after everyone had filled their tummies.

We have no idea what God can do with our faithfulness and humble offerings. When the widow in 1 Kings 17 had only enough oil for one meal, she obeyed Elijah and made bread for him with it. Because of her faithfulness to the Lord, He never let her flour or oil run out; divine provision fed her family because she shared her small blessing with the prophet. The widow thought she had come to the end of the road, but the Creator made a way for her that she never expected.

First, we must acknowledge and thank God for the blessings we have. Living in America, we have an abundance, and can easily forget who provides it for us. But if we begin to thank God for the tiniest blessing and to share what we have with others, the Lord will multiply our gifts. Small blessings matter just as much as large ones. Every day, God works in our lives, and if we begin looking for it, we will find His blessings.

Journal Questions:

What small blessing multiplied in your life?

List ten small blessings in your life today?

How can you bless others with what you have?

Application:

Thank God for His faithfulness in little things.

Two-minute read.

Many people hate their jobs, dreading going to work. But the Lord wants us to work as for Him, giving dignity to whatever task we do. Ron and I served on the church janitorial team for several years. Between services, we cleaned the bathrooms, restocked the toilet paper, towels, and mints, and emptied the trash. We LOVED our jobs. Every time I filled the mints, I would pray for the people who would eat them, asking God to draw them closer to Him and let them discover the transformational relationship Jesus offers. A thankless job, we did it as unto the Lord, and we loved every minute of it.

Wherever God places you, whatever task He gives you, it has a purpose. Cleaning the bathrooms met a basic need, but it had a purpose. Every church wants people to feel welcome, and a clean restroom helps them do so. S. Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A, relied on the golden rule in his business practices. Years ago, I heard a sermon illustration about him. Using the restroom at a competitor’s business, he wiped the counters and picked up trash from the floor, witnessed by a colleague. Living by his motto, Mr. Cathy led by example, reflecting his lifelong motto: “We’re here to serve you.” S. Truett turned a menial task into a purposeful one that spoke volumes about his character.

Life has many unpleasant tasks, often ones we do in the workplace. But when we turn those chores into acts of service to the Lord, we find the deeper meaning in life. Bringing coffee to a co-worker lightens their day. Getting the paperwork correct on someone’s purchase, insurance claim, or health issue means the world to them, even though it may seem mundane to you. Teaching children impacts the future of our world, one letter at a time. Instructors open up possibilities to the young. Truck drivers deliver food and necessities, and construction workers build shelter. And writers for Christ, God willing, draw people to the Savior. Every task has meaning and purpose when we do it for the Lord.

Ask God for a new perspective on the things you don’t like to do, whether work or at home; we all have unpleasant tasks. But when we begin to work as unto the Lord, our viewpoint will change, and our efforts will have divine meaning. Cleaning a toilet may seem mundane, but for the lost soul seeking shelter, it welcomes them and meets their needs. Everything matters to the Savior, and with Him, we will find our purpose.

Journal Questions:

What task or job do you like doing the least?

How can you begin to work as if unto the Lord?

What gives you a sense of purpose and meaning?

Application:

Thank God for your responsibilities.

Two-minute read.

“Pray for our needs, not our greeds,” the Expositor’s Bible Commentary says about this verse. What a powerful statement: we pray more for greed than for needs. For instance, I have a perfectly good car, a few years old, with plenty of safety features and the right size for my needs, yet I want a new one. Not because I need a vehicle, but because of greed. I want the updated model with the latest bells and whistles, pure greed.

When we let our greed lead our prayers, we ask for the wrong thing. Instead of a new car, I need to become more like Jesus, who never rode or drove in a vehicle. But He did trust His Father to provide all his needs: food, clothing, and shelter. Christ never owned a home. He grew up in Nazareth and lived with his parents in a simple stone-and-mortar house. During the Lord’s ministry, He traveled, staying in different homes or outdoors. When you think of following the Savior, do you think of sleeping in a field, under the stars, with the angels watching over you? I don’t.

Living in America, most people have access to food, water, and shelter. Because we live in a land of abundance, most people don’t ask for daily bread. Instead, we want the latest trending thing because good marketing makes us think it will change our lives. But in truth, it won’t. Every time I upgrade my phone, I end up disappointed. The changes they touted don’t change the world or my life and barely make a difference from the one I had before. We pray more for greed than need.

As Christ’s followers, we become more like Him through intention. Instead of praying for greed, we must pray for needs. Ask the Lord for His Spirit to help you think, speak, and act like Christ. Pray for transformation as you obey Him. Request a Christ-like character so that in all situations, you respond as Jesus would. Seek the Lord’s guidance for the day ahead, and commit it to Him. We need God’s daily bread to nurture our souls, inspire our actions, and help us become like Jesus.

Spend time thinking about what you really need. Let go of worldly wants and focus your eyes on the Son. Let Him search your heart, and help align it with His. Jesus knows your true needs, and when you let Him fulfill those, you will experience life in abundance like never before. Drink from the living water, and eat from the Lord’s daily bread. Fill yourself with the Savior as you abide in Him.

Journal Questions:

How have you prayed for greed?

What do you think you really need?

How can your prayers help you become more like Christ?

Application:

Thank God for your basic needs.