Digging Deeper: A Generous Father

Avatar photo Sellers Hickman on May 12, 2026

 

give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Luke 6:38 (ESV)


A GENEROUS FATHER

 

Have you ever felt like you’ve given too much? Maybe it’s been toward someone walking through grief, and you’ve tried to show up consistently (texting, checking in, being present) but over time you start wondering, “Is this too much? Am I overextending myself?” That feeling is familiar to anyone who has tried to love people well. There’s a point where generosity starts to feel like depletion, where you begin to question whether what you’re giving will ever come back to you.

There’s a moment I’ve seen play out more than once in ministry. A volunteer pours themselves into serving others. They show up early, stay late, and quietly carry emotional weight that most people never notice. After a stretch of especially hard weeks, they finally say something like, “I just feel like I’m giving and giving, and I don’t know if there’s anything left.” It’s not bitterness… it’s exhaustion. But underneath it is a deeper question we all wrestle with: does what I give actually matter, or am I just running on empty?

That’s where Luke 6:38 speaks so directly. Jesus is not describing a transactional formula where we give to get in a mechanical way. He is describing the character of God’s kingdom. In God’s economy, generosity is never wasted. It is never unnoticed. It is never the final word. What feels like loss in the moment is not loss in the hands of God.

To understand what Jesus is saying, it helps to picture the imagery He uses. In the ancient world, when someone bought grain, the seller would scoop it into a container. A dishonest seller might fill it loosely, leaving gaps and air pockets so the buyer received less than expected. But a generous seller would press the grain down, shake it together, and pour more in until it overflowed. Jesus uses that picture to say something about how God responds to those who live open-handedly. God does not respond with minimal return or reluctant measure. His generosity is overflowing, abundant, and beyond what we expect.

That doesn’t mean we always see the return immediately, or even in the way we expect. Sometimes the “return” is strength in the moment you thought you had nothing left. Sometimes it is fruit in someone else’s life years later that you never connected back to your small act of faithfulness. And sometimes it is only fully revealed in eternity, when we finally see what God did with what we thought was insignificant.

This is where Jesus is reshaping how we think about giving altogether. We tend to believe there’s a limit to our capacity. If we give too much, we will eventually run dry. But Jesus is inviting us to see that generosity in His kingdom is not about depletion, it’s about trust. We are not the source; we are recipients who pass along what we’ve received. The question is not whether we have enough in ourselves, but whether we trust the One who promises to provide what we need.

That connects deeply with the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30. Jesus tells a story about a master who entrusts different amounts to his servants before leaving. One receives five, another two, another one. The focus is not on comparison, but on stewardship. When the master returns, he rewards faithfulness, not equal outcomes. The point is simple but challenging: God is not asking you to give what you do not have. He is asking you to be faithful with what He has already placed in your hands.

So your time is not accidental. Your relationships are not random. Your opportunities are not insignificant. The people around you are not there by coincidence. God has entrusted you with your life on purpose, and Luke 6:38 reframes how we see every act of giving within it. Nothing offered in obedience is ever wasted in the kingdom of God.

So the real question is not, “Am I giving too much?” The deeper question is, “Who am I trusting as I give?” Because Luke 6:38 doesn’t just promise return… it reveals the heart of God. A God who sees, who measures differently than we do, and who gives in ways that are pressed down, shaken together, and running over. So where have you been holding back due to a lack of trust in God and His ability to be a generous Father.

Sellers Hickman serves as College & Teaching Pastor at NorthStar Church and loves cheering on his Ole Miss Rebels. He and his wife, Hannah, live in Dallas, Ga. with their two daughters. He also serves as the chaplain for the KSU Men’s Basketball team.

 

Digging Deeper: The Judgment Seat

Avatar photo Sellers Hickman on May 11, 2026

 

Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

Luke 6:37 (ESV)


THE JUDGMENT SEAT

 

Two Sundays ago, we ended with what we often call the Golden Rule: “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” That sounds simple (and is absolutely biblical), but it is also one of the hardest commands to actually live out. It’s easy to say when relationships are smooth and people are easy to love. But when someone is difficult, when someone has hurt you, embarrassed you, disappointed you, or when you genuinely feel like they deserve judgment, that’s when this teaching becomes real. That’s also when our hearts are exposed. Because in those moments, we aren’t just dealing with another person; we’re dealing with whether we truly trust God and His sovereignty. If God is sovereign, that means He is over all things. Nothing escapes His attention, nothing slips through His hands, and no injustice goes unnoticed by Him. And if that’s true, then we don’t have to live like we’re responsible for being everyone’s judge.

That’s exactly what Jesus confronts in Luke 6:37. This verse is famous, but it’s also often misused. Many people quote it as if Jesus is saying Christians should never have opinions, never call out sin, never challenge anyone, and never have hard conversations. But that can’t be what Jesus means because Jesus Himself confronted sin and hypocrisy constantly. He overturned tables in the temple, rebuked religious leaders, corrected His disciples, and spoke truth directly to people who were living in rebellion against God. Jesus is not calling us to silence or passivity. He is calling us to examine our posture. The issue is not whether we can recognize what is right and wrong. The issue is whether we are trying to take God’s seat.

There is a difference between discernment and judgment, and an even bigger difference between correction and condemnation. Discernment is seeing clearly what aligns with God’s Word. Correction is loving someone enough to speak truth with humility. Condemnation, however, is when we go beyond someone’s actions and begin to assign them a final verdict. Condemnation says, “This is who you are,” not just, “This is what you did.” Condemnation doesn’t aim for restoration; it aims for destruction. Condemnation doesn’t come from love. It comes from pride. It assumes the worst, believes the worst, and expects the worst. And if we’re honest, condemnation often feels justified. It feels like protection. It feels like we’re standing for truth. But in reality, condemnation is often just a way of feeding bitterness while pretending we’re being righteous.

A lot of us do this without even realizing it. We build a courtroom in our minds. Someone says something that rubs us the wrong way, someone doesn’t respond the way we expected, someone makes a decision we disagree with, and immediately we start collecting evidence. We replay conversations. We interpret tone. We assume motives. We add up all the little moments, and we form a conclusion. We might never say it out loud, but in our hearts we’ve already handed down a sentence. And what makes it even more dangerous is that we usually judge others by their actions while judging ourselves by our intentions. We want people to consider our stress, our story, our reasons, and our growth. But we interpret others through the harshest lens possible. That’s why Jesus’ words are so direct: “Judge not.” Not because wrong doesn’t exist, but because we are not qualified to sit on the throne of final authority.

Then Jesus adds another phrase: “Condemn not.” This is where the verse becomes even more personal. Because it’s one thing to notice someone’s sin. It’s another thing to secretly want them to fail, to be exposed, or to get what they deserve. Condemnation is not just an opinion; it’s a posture of the heart that says, “I’m glad I’m not like you.” Condemnation assumes that grace is for me but not for them. It forgets that the same God who sees their flaws also sees mine. It forgets that we are not saved because we were better, but because God was merciful.

And then Jesus finishes with a command that is both beautiful and challenging: “Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Forgiveness is not pretending someone didn’t hurt you. Forgiveness is not saying what they did was okay. Forgiveness is choosing to release the right to repay. It is refusing to let someone else’s sin turn your heart into a prison. Forgiveness is hard because it feels like losing. It feels like letting them off the hook. But the truth is, forgiveness doesn’t let them off the hook; it places them in God’s hands. And if God is truly sovereign, then that is the safest place they could be. Forgiveness is not weakness. It is faith. It is trusting that God can judge rightly, that God can handle what you can’t, and that God’s justice will never fail.

Here’s the hard question for you to consider today. Who is someone you’ve been judging lately? Maybe not out loud, but in your heart. Who is someone you’ve already labeled, already written off, already decided you’re done with? And if God treated you the way you’ve been treating them, what would that mean for you? Jesus isn’t asking you to ignore sin, but He is asking you to remove pride. He isn’t asking you to pretend people are perfect, but He is asking you to remember that you aren’t either. Because the gospel doesn’t just change where we spend eternity; it changes how we treat the people around us today. The question is simple, but it cuts deep: Where do you need to stop condemning and start forgiving?

 

Sellers Hickman serves as College & Teaching Pastor at NorthStar Church and loves cheering on his Ole Miss Rebels. He and his wife, Hannah, live in Dallas, Ga. with their two daughters. He also serves as the chaplain for the KSU Men’s Basketball team.

 

Digging Deeper – A Friend of Jesus

Avatar photo Chris Boggess on May 8, 2026

 

“When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. 21 And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” 23 He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” 25 Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”

“While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.”

Matthew 26:20-25; 47-50 ESV

“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”

Luke 6:36 (ESV)


A FRIEND OF JESUS

Most of us would be pretty familiar with the two scenes above. This passage is leading up to the climactic account of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Here, we have two scenes that serve as the final setup for the violence to follow.

Jesus knows Judas is going to betray Him, and He lets Judas know that He knows, but He does not make it abundantly obvious to the rest of the disciples. I picture this exchange being whispered between mouthfuls of bread as they recline among the other chatting disciples. I feel like if it were a louder exchange, the disciples might have had some questions for Judas.

That line, “You have said so,” gives me chills every time Jesus uses it. He says it again at the trial before the high priest:

“But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to Him, ‘I adjure You by the living God, tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven’” (Matthew 26:63–64, ESV).

It is Jesus’s way of saying, “You are speaking the truth in your own words.” In both cases, He is pointing out that they really know the truth, whether they say it directly or not. So Jesus knows that Judas is about to betray Him.

With that in mind, my friend Ryan Hoffer pointed out a word that is truly mind-blowing in the scene where they come to arrest Jesus. Jesus calls Judas “friend.” Jesus had every right to curse Judas, to push him away with disdain, but instead, He draws him in with the word “friend.”

It is astonishing, and it should fill us with hope.

If Jesus can call Judas a friend, then there is hope for us, too. Take a moment to come before Jesus in prayer. Tell Him honestly who you are and what you have done. Then, in a moment of silence, receive the mercy and forgiveness He offers as He calls you “friend.”

 

Chris Boggess is the Care + Family Pastor at NorthStar Church. He grew up in St. Albans, West Virginia, and still cheers for the Mountaineers. He and his wife, Heather, have two grown children and one granddaughter.

Digging Deeper – Do You Really Want Karma?

Avatar photo Chris Boggess on May 7, 2026

 

To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them…35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Luke 6:29-31; 35-36 (ESV)


DO YOU REALLY WANT KARMA?

I don’t know about you, but I love karma. When someone blows past me on Jiles Road while I’m doing the speed limit—and there’s one of Kennesaw’s finest waiting just over the rise—those blue lights flash, and I cheer. They got instant karma!

But in most of our lives, karma doesn’t hold up. There are many more times when the car blows past me and nothing happens—except they make it through the next light while I catch the red. We mostly don’t get what we deserve.

That’s why the Gospel is “good news.” It says we don’t get what we deserve; rather, we get what we don’t deserve. That is what Jesus is saying in this passage: act more like your Father in heaven. Give the people you come in contact with what they don’t deserve.

So many times, we treat life as a transaction. Our interactions with people are based on how they treat us. Notice that Jesus dismantles that idea by telling us not to treat people as they treat us, but as we wish they would treat us. That’s not a game changer; that’s a world changer!

Try it as you go through your day. Be intentional about it. Look for ways to give without expectation, to love someone through your actions in ways they can never repay. Let that kind of open generosity begin to replace the desire for people to “get what they deserve,” and instead allow you to love them as God loves you.

 

Chris Boggess is the Care + Family Pastor at NorthStar Church. He grew up in St. Albans, West Virginia, and still cheers for the Mountaineers. He and his wife, Heather, have two grown children and one granddaughter.

Enduring Pain and Hardships

Kevin Burrell on May 6, 2026

 

“We proudly tell God’s other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering.” 

2 Thessalonians 1:4

 

ENDURING PAIN AND HARDSHIPS

There is something deeply human about pain. We spend much of our lives trying to avoid it, ignore it, numb it, or make sense of it. To understand this, consider the rare birth condition known as “congenital insensitivity to pain” (CIP).

Approximately 1 in 125 million newborns are born with CIP and cannot feel physical pain. At first glance, this might seem like a blessing: no discomfort, no agony, no distress. However, in reality, it is incredibly dangerous. Pain is the body’s warning system. Without it, injuries go unnoticed, infections spread, and harm multiplies silently. What appears to be freedom from pain is actually vulnerability to greater damage.

In a similar way, spiritual and emotional pain in our lives serves a purpose. It alerts us, shapes us, and is designed to draw us closer to God. Without it, we might drift, unaware of deeper issues within us and our need for God’s presence in our lives.

The Apostle Paul echoes this truth in 2 Thessalonians 1:4:

“We proudly tell God’s other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering.”

Don’t miss that.

Notice what is being celebrated: not comfort, but endurance; not ease, but faithfulness. Pain has a way of sharpening our awareness of God’s voice. In seasons of comfort, it is easy for us to become self-reliant. But in pain and hardship, we listen more closely. We pray more earnestly. We depend more fully. The days of pain often become the days of deepest intimacy with God.

Listen closely: I don’t know what pain or hardship you are enduring today. Maybe the sudden loss of a parent, spouse, child, or job. Maybe a divorce, a terminal disease, a wayward child, or a broken relationship.

Ignoring God during suffering is like ignoring pain in the body; it leads to deeper harm. However, leaning in, listening, and trusting God in the midst of your pain transforms suffering into something meaningful. It becomes a place where faith is refined, character is strengthened, and Christ is made known in you and through you.

When pain comes, and it will, whether through hardship, loss, or persecution, do not rush to silence it. Let it speak. Let it lead you to intimacy with God. Listen carefully in those moments, because God often speaks most clearly in the valleys.

C. S. Lewis said, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts to us in our pain.”

Pain is not the absence of God. Most often, it is the very place where His presence becomes most real.

Love God. Love People. Live Sent.

Be Worth Being.

Kevin

 

Kevin Burrell has worked in professional baseball as both a player and MLB scout for the past 45 years, and currently serves as an area scouting supervisor. Kevin was drafted in the 1st round of the 1981 free agent amateur draft (25th selection overall), and played ten years of professional baseball with four different organizations. He and his wife, Valerie, live in Sharpsburg, Ga.

Digging Deeper – Wisdom from Old Commentaries

Avatar photo Chris Boggess on May 6, 2026

 

27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. 32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Luke 6:27-36 (ESV)


WISDOM FROM OLD COMMENTARIES

When I get ready to write the Digging Deeper for the week, I like to pull out my old books, especially some of the commentaries in my library. Some of my favorite resources are H. A. Ironside’s commentaries.

Why are commentaries written in the 1940s high on my list? It is for sentimental reasons. These are hand-me-downs from my grandmother. She faithfully taught her Sunday School class for many years at Bible Center Church, and I know these commentaries were a ready resource for her. I love it when I go to read a passage and come across her underlines and margin notes. As I turn to “Address 21” in the commentary on Luke, I find a lot of marking, and I want to share some great wisdom with you.

First, on page 201, there is this quote underlined in red: “To obey these precepts is to manifest the spirit of Christ. This is love in activity. It was fully displayed in our blessed Lord, who laid down His life for those who were His enemies and hated Him without cause.” Ironside wants us to understand that there is activity in love. Love doesn’t just talk a good game; it acts on behalf of the one who is loved. I once heard a sermon by Martin Luther King Jr. in which he said that the difference between “like” and “love” is that “like” is sentimental and “love” is active; we don’t need to “like” someone to love them. Loving our enemies means we are acting more like Jesus.

Another amazing quote from the commentary is: “When someone has been very unkind, instead of meeting him in the same way, get down on your knees and plead for his blessing, and when the Spirit of God speaks to him, his attitude will change… Go alone into the presence of God and ask Him to speak to those hearts in divine love.” Praying for those who are against us is not easy. We must love with intentionality. People we love may come to mind throughout the day, and it is a blessing to lift them up in prayer. But praying for people we would rather not think about at all is something else. Loving our enemies means intentionally praying for them.

Finally, there is this gem: “The Lord ridicules those who pretend to be the children of God when they have not reached any higher, so far as practical behavior goes, than those who make no profession at all.” God expects more from us. I like the way the commentator phrases the statement: “The Lord ridicules.” Jesus is pointing out that it would not make sense for followers of God to act like the rest of humanity. The first five books of the Bible focus on God setting His people apart so they will look different from the world around them. So the Jews hearing the comparison phrase, “For even sinners love those who love them,” would understand that they had a responsibility, as the children of the Most High God, to be set apart like priests are set apart: “And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.” This is the message you must give to the people of Israel (Exodus 19:6, NLT). And Peter applies this same standard to us as a church: “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9, NLT).

Priests show who God is to the people. They live their lives to a higher standard. Take a moment to evaluate yourself and your actions. Do you live a life that looks like everyone else, or do you live a life that puts God on display? What can you do today to point people around you to God by how you live your life?

  • Quotes from Addresses on the Gospel of Luke by H. A. Ironside, Litt.D. Published by Loizeaux Brothers, New York, 1947.

 

Chris Boggess is the Care + Family Pastor at NorthStar Church. He grew up in St. Albans, West Virginia, and still cheers for the Mountaineers. He and his wife, Heather, have two grown children and one granddaughter.

Digging Deeper – The Pittsburgh Experiment

Avatar photo Chris Boggess on May 5, 2026

 

27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 

Luke 6:27-28 (ESV)


THE PITTSBURGH EXPERIMENT

Don James was a veteran of the Korean War. He was a hard man—not just a Marine, but a former drill instructor. He was known to say that if he couldn’t “eat it, drink it, or sleep with it,” he didn’t need it.

Sam Shoemaker was a force for faith in Pittsburgh. His vision was that Pittsburgh would become “as famous for God as it was for steel.” Sam was one of the originators of the Twelve Steps used in Alcoholics Anonymous and had a heart for people who were far from God to be brought near.

Sam started arranging weekly lunches with groups of local business leaders to encourage them to pray for the city and become spiritual leaders. This group became what Sam called the Pittsburgh Experiment. The men would meet together, and Sam would encourage them to name their biggest enemy and pray for that person every day for 30 days.

Don heard Sam’s message and told him he thought it was a load of excrement (my words). Don explained that his biggest enemy was his boss, and he hated the guy. Don said that whoever came up with the idea of praying for your enemy must be out of their mind. Sam encouraged him to give it a try and let him know how it turned out.

Don gave it a try.

He prayed that God would work in his boss’s life and bless him. As the month went on, Don’s boss began to see a difference in him. Don was changing. Don ended up coming to Jesus through this experience.

Coming to Jesus was just the first step. Don went to seminary and became an ordained Episcopal priest. He began to work alongside Sam to fulfill the vision of making Pittsburgh a city known for faith in God. When Sam died, Don took up the reins to continue the Pittsburgh Experiment, leading hundreds of men to pray for the city. And when Don died, a choir of priests from all over the diocese sang at his funeral.

When we pray for God to bless and change our enemies, I believe He begins to bless and change us at the same time.

Who is your enemy right now? Do your own Pittsburgh Experiment and set aside time each day to pray exclusively for that person. Do it for thirty days and see what happens.

Chris Boggess is the Care + Family Pastor at NorthStar Church. He grew up in St. Albans, West Virginia, and still cheers for the Mountaineers. He and his wife, Heather, have two grown children and one granddaughter.

Digging Deeper – A Radical Statement

Avatar photo Chris Boggess on May 4, 2026

 

27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. 32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Luke 6:27-36 (ESV)


A RADICAL STATEMENT

I think we often read the phrase “love your enemies,” and the words feel familiar. We have heard this before. This love is a common theme with Jesus and throughout the New Testament. We hear it, and we think of our enemies as people opposed to us ideologically or socially. But if we lived in the first century, when Roman-occupied Judea was under oppression, we might not hear this in the same way.

The Jewish community hearing this address was under Roman rule and at the tip of the Roman sword. The enemies of the Jews did not make social media posts; they crucified. “Love your enemies” is a radical statement! More than radical, it would have been an outrageous statement in the world in which Jesus was preaching.

Another aspect of the statement “love your enemy” is that it was something new, not taught by any religious leader before. Others had taught their followers not to harm their enemies or to refrain from fighting back against them, but the idea of loving your enemy seems to originate with Jesus.

Even though it is not explicitly stated before Jesus, God had been telling His people how to act toward their enemies from the beginning of their relationship. “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him” (Exodus 23:4–5, ESV). The writer of Proverbs also addresses how to treat an enemy: “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away His anger from him” (Proverbs 24:17–18).

But Jesus wants His listeners to understand the heart of God explicitly toward people created in His image, even enemies. Not just to do no harm or even to do good to them, but to love them.

Love the ones who strike you.
Love the ones who oppress you.
Love the ones who cheat you.
Love the ones you do not even like.

And why should we love them and not pour out our wrath on them? Because Jesus wants us to act like the Father. God is “kind to the ungrateful and the evil.” Take some time today to make your list of enemies. But remember, you are not making a “hit list”; you are making a “love list.”

 

Chris Boggess is the Care + Family Pastor at NorthStar Church. He grew up in St. Albans, West Virginia, and still cheers for the Mountaineers. He and his wife, Heather, have two grown children and one granddaughter.

Digging Deeper: Upside-Down Living Leads to True Joy

Avatar photo Larry Grays on May 1, 2026

 

“When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven.”

Luke 6:23 (NLT)


UPSIDE-DOWN LIVING LEADS TO TRUE JOY

 

A pastor once joked that he tried eating healthy for a week, but then someone brought donuts to church. He said, “I realized my joy is not in vegetables; it’s in frosting.” Everyone laughed, but it made a point: we often choose what feels good now instead of what’s truly good.

Jesus flips that thinking upside down. In Luke 6:22–23, He describes people being rejected, mocked, and excluded for following Him. Then He says something surprising: “Be happy… leap for joy.” Why would anyone respond that way? Because their reward isn’t based on what’s happening now; it’s based on what’s coming later.

Jesus is teaching us to live with eternity in view. When we understand that God sees, rewards, and restores, it changes how we respond to hardship. The world says happiness comes from comfort and approval. Jesus says it comes from faithfulness and trust. And when we live that way, we experience a kind of joy that circumstances can’t take away.

Reflection Questions

  • Are you living more for the present or for eternity?
  • What would it look like to trust God’s reward over immediate comfort?

Suggested Prayer
Lord, help me live for what lasts. Give me joy that is rooted in You, not in my circumstances.

 

Dr. Larry Grays is passionate about helping churches grow and reaching people in fresh, creative ways. He launched a church in a Midtown Atlanta movie theater and later served as an Urban Church Planting Strategist with the North American Mission Board. Today, he speaks, writes, and coaches pastors and leaders. Larry has degrees from UCF, Southeastern Seminary, and Southern Seminary—but more importantly, he loves Jesus, good coffee, and seeing the next generation step into their calling. He and his wife Lori love raising their incredible kids and love doing life and ministry together.

Digging Deeper: Happiness is Found in Who I Follow

Avatar photo Larry Grays on April 30, 2026

 

“God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied.”

Luke 6:21 (NLT)


HAPPINESS IS FOUND IN WHO I FOLLOW

 

There was a man standing before a judge in California for shooting a Condor. This a protected bird and people who kill them must pay the consequences. The man pleaded with the judge by saying, “I just arrived in this state, and I have never seen a bird that large before. I was hungry and could not help myself to shoot and eat it. The judge said, “I forgive you, just don’t let it happen again!” The man replied,” Yes, sir!” The judge curious about the bird asked the man how did it taste? The man replied, “Oh, I guess somewhere between a Whooping Crane and a spotted owl.”

When Jesus talks about being “hungry,” He’s describing a deep longing, not just for food, but for what is right and good in God’s eyes. This kind of hunger is a sign of spiritual life. When someone is physically hungry, it drives them to seek food. In the same way, spiritual hunger drives us toward God. It creates a desire for His truth, His presence, and His ways. Jesus promises something powerful: “you will be satisfied.” That doesn’t mean life becomes easy. It means our deepest needs are met in Him. Even in difficult circumstances, there is a steady sense of fulfillment that comes from walking with Christ.

Jesus also talks about weeping and rejection. These aren’t random hardships, they often come as a result of following Him. But they don’t cancel happiness, they deepen it. True happiness is not about avoiding difficulty. It’s about being anchored to Jesus in the middle of it.

Reflection Questions

  • What are you truly hungry for right now?
  • How can you pursue God more intentionally this week?

Suggested Prayer
Jesus, give me a deeper hunger for You. Help me find satisfaction in following You.

 

Dr. Larry Grays is passionate about helping churches grow and reaching people in fresh, creative ways. He launched a church in a Midtown Atlanta movie theater and later served as an Urban Church Planting Strategist with the North American Mission Board. Today, he speaks, writes, and coaches pastors and leaders. Larry has degrees from UCF, Southeastern Seminary, and Southern Seminary—but more importantly, he loves Jesus, good coffee, and seeing the next generation step into their calling. He and his wife Lori love raising their incredible kids and love doing life and ministry together.