Weekly Devotion

I grow weary of seeing believers give him the same allegiance they owe to Christ. I don’t care what Jimmy Kimmel said about him; I didn’t watch Kimmel before, and I won’t now.

Truth without love is harshness. Love without truth is sentimentality. But Jesus? He brings both—with transforming power.

There is a purpose in all He creates—even when we don’t understand. Too often I thank Him for beauty but forget to praise Him in the cold rain. Yet He is there nonetheless.

I pictured skies brushed with orange and pink, a few seagulls flying overhead, and a bubbly sun rising out of the dark purple waters. Then another image came—one far heavier. I remembered a heartbreaking conversation with my mother-in-law when her cancer returned for the third or fourth time.

My daughter started this post almost eight years ago. She picked this theme out of the blue—or so I thought. Maybe she needed it, maybe she thought I needed the lesson from this, maybe the Holy Spirit meant it for the both of us, or maybe it was written for someone else reading this.

When we greet someone personally, we mirror that love. It tells people: You are known. You are valued. You are not invisible. And to God’s children, isn’t that the gospel in one sentence?

In the spoken sense, sapros means words that are corrupt, harmful, or degrading—things that spiritually smell bad and are unfit for use. In contrast, “building up” means more than saying something nice. It’s moral goodness, usefulness, and a benefit to others.

That day, I realized something deeper than fear, grief, and worry over the events unfolding—I realized I had no control over the providential things in my life. It might be Satan’s world on earth, but only Jesus Christ is in complete control.

The men leaned in and warned, “You don’t know who you’re talking to — we can make your life very difficult.” But it didn’t matter. He stood up, pointed to the door, and insisted they leave.

The stories reminded me that God’s love extends to all of creation. In every small act of care, whether for a struggling animal or a weary soul, we are invited to reflect the kindness of our Creator.