NorthStar Church Blog

Digging Deeper – Not If, But When

Ryan Hoffer on May 22, 2026

48 “he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

Luke 6:48-49 (ESV)

NOT IF, BUT WHEN

One of the easiest things to overlook about Jesus’ illustration of the poorly constructed house is the inevitability of oncoming tribulation. Indeed, for both the house built on the rock and the house lacking a foundation the approaching flood is a certitude. In verse 48 we are told “when a flood arose” and, likewise in 49, “when the stream broke against it.” The old adage applies here: it’s not “if, but when.”

Proactive will always beat reactive when it comes to enduring life’s difficulties. The time to lay the foundation is before the diagnosis, before the betrayal, before the accident, before the financial setback. And building upon that foundation will look like compound consistency – obeying God’s Word, daily devotions, fellowship with other believers, praying, evangelizing, memorizing and studying Scripture, etc. These things done routinely over time result in a profound, enduring faith that can weather the storms of life. Oswald Chambers, the author of the exceptional devotional My Utmost For His Highest, states, “Drudgery is the test of genuine character. The greatest hindrance in our spiritual life is that we will only look for big things to do…the routine of life is actually God’s way of saving us between our times of great inspiration.”

Thanks be to God that we are here today in front of His Word listening to what He has to tell us. Consider it an invaluable deposit in the treasury of Christian living. Whether you are in the storm or headed into the storm, know that a house built on Christ is “well-built” (v.48).

Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Digging Deeper – A Tree by its Fruit

Ryan Hoffer on May 21, 2026

43 “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit…”

Luke 6:43-44 (ESV)

A TREE BY ITS FRUIT

Every day when I get home from work, my son attempts to get me to jump on the trampoline with him. After deflecting for a few minutes, I typically resign myself to accepting my temporary role as an acrobat. Tonight was no different. However, afterward, when our bouncing had subsided and we were lying on our backs on the trampoline looking through the overhead foliage, he said, “Look at all the different types of leaves. That tree is different than that tree and that tree. There are at least four types of trees here!”

He was right. I had never given it much thought until then. But looking up into that canopy, we spotted leaves according to their kind: the five-pointed, star-shaped leaf of the sweet gum; the oblong, rounded lobes of the oak; the three-pointed, sawtooth notches of the red maple; and the long, bushy pine needles.

“You can tell what kind of tree it is by its leaf,” I said. The words had scarcely left my mouth before I heard the voice of Jesus booming in my mind: “For each tree is known by its own fruit” (Luke 6:44).

Of course, the analogy is not exactly apples to apples (pun intended), for we were looking at leaves and not fruit, but the principle stands — people are recognized by their actions and character. A genuine relationship with Jesus will produce fruit by the power of the Holy Spirit (look to Galatians 5:22–23 for a list of the fruit of the Spirit). Conversely, a person without a genuine relationship with Jesus will not produce fruit, regardless of their nominal affiliation with Him.

This should be cause for self-examination. Are we bearing fruit? And, if so, what is the fruit? Are we connected to the Gardener, the Life-Giver, who alone is able to nourish us?

It is amazing the things you can learn just by saying yes to jumping on the trampoline.

Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Digging Deeper – Man in the Mirror

Ryan Hoffer on May 20, 2026

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

James 1:22-25 (ESV)

MAN IN THE MIRROR

Have you ever put on an outfit, checked your appearance in the mirror, gathered your belongings, and, just before leaving the house, found yourself returning to the mirror to reassess how you look? I’ll be the first to admit it is a regular occurrence for me. What happens? Is the first look not sufficient to quell my doubts about my sense of fashion? Have I forgotten what I look like?

James warns us not to do this with our spiritual lives. In the age of cameras and screens, the analogy is extremely relevant — we can all identify with his words on some level. When we come face to face with the Word of God, it “exposes our innermost thoughts and desires” (Hebrews 4:12). Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians says that we are “looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord…being transformed into the same image” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Let us then, after gazing intently into the Word, be doers who act. This is the essence of Christian practice.

Imagine a world where the apostles were hearers only, where action did not follow the emotional, intellectual, and spiritual transformation they experienced. Where Paul did not painstakingly traverse the Mediterranean. Where the saving message never reached farther afield. Where the church acquiesced to pagan rule and succumbed to persecution. Where the brutish moral standards of ancient life were never abolished. Where monasteries never felt compelled to preserve and transmit the text. Where literacy and charitable organization did not follow evangelism. Where religious liberty was snuffed out by an elite institution.

Almost all of our present freedoms and values are a direct result of the transformative effect that Christendom has had upon the world — all because individuals followed Christ as doers and not hearers only. Let us “go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37).

Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Guard Your Heart

Kevin Burrell on May 20, 2026

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Proverbs 4:23

GUARD YOUR HEART

Your inner life is your highest priority!

The phrase “above all else” places emphasis on what deserves the greatest attention. In biblical language, the “heart” is not just emotions; it includes thoughts, desires, motives, convictions, and will.

The Principle:

• Your character matters more than appearances.

• What you allow into your mind and spirit will shape your life.

• Spiritual and emotional health should be protected intentionally, not passively.

Success, relationships, and decisions are all downstream from the condition of your heart.

The heart must be guarded intentionally!

“Guard your heart” is active language. A guard watches carefully, sets boundaries, and protects against threats.

The Principle:

• Be selective about the influences, voices, and environments you are listening to and spending time in.

• Monitor bitterness, pride, envy, fear, or unhealthy desires before they take root.

• Build habits that strengthen wisdom, truth, and integrity.

• Get an accountability partner.

Hearts drift when left unguarded. Protection requires awareness and discipline.

Your actions flow from your inner condition!

“Everything you do flows from it” describes cause and effect. Thoughts and inner beliefs eventually shape speech, choices, relationships, and direction in life.

The Principle:

• External behavior often reveals internal condition.

• Long-term transformation starts internally, not externally.

• Healthy roots produce healthy fruit.

Takeaway for the day:

Proverbs 4:23 is ultimately about alignment: protect the source (your heart), because the source determines the stream.

Blessings today!

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 – Kurios, Pt. 2

Ryan Hoffer on May 19, 2026

46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”

Luke 6:46 (ESV)

KURIOS, PART 2

It is only fitting that today’s devotional be a continuation of our study on the word kurios — a word used twice by Jesus to emphasize the priority of obedience over lip service in Luke 6:46. Yesterday, we looked at some of the historical and cultural uses of the word, not only in the New Testament, but also within the setting of Greco-Roman culture. However, the word kurios has another, more theological dimension as a substitute for the name of God in the Old Testament.

You may have been reading the Bible and come across the word LORD in all capitals. Did you know that the actual word being used there is not “LORD”? Rather, it indicates that, in the original text, the divine name YHWH (or Yahweh) is used. Throughout the ages, it became tradition for God-fearing Jews to refrain from saying the divine name because it was considered so holy. Therefore, in culture (and in the transmission of the text), the word “LORD” was used instead.¹ And guess what the Greek word for “Lord” is? You guessed it: kurios. Therefore, this word appears over 7,000 times throughout the Old Testament and became highly associated with the divine name.

During the time of Jesus, the word “Lord” would have carried certain theological undertones alongside its contemporary usage. Therefore, calling Jesus “Lord” would, in essence, connect Him with the divine personage of the Old Testament. So when Paul quotes the Old Testament in Romans 10:13 by saying, “Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved,” he is applying to Jesus what was spoken of YHWH in Joel 2:32. For this reason, Thomas, upon inserting his finger into the hands of the risen Christ, says, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). Additionally, in the Gospels (Mark 1:3, John 1:23, Matthew 3:3), the authors apply the words of Isaiah 40:3, “Prepare the way of the LORD,” to John heralding Jesus’ advent as the Lord. There are great theological implications in calling Jesus “Lord” throughout the New Testament.

Now, after two days of reflection on the word kurios, let us progress to the question that Jesus poses in verse 46: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”

¹ Because the OT is written in Hebrew, the word adonai was used for LORD (in placed of YHWH). When the OT was translated into Greek (called the Septuagint), kurios was used for adonai. This would have been the translation used by people in Jesus’ time.

Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Digging Deeper – Kurios

Ryan Hoffer on May 18, 2026

46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”

Luke 6:46 (ESV)

KURIOS

In the sixth chapter of Luke, Jesus, addressing the multitude, stresses the character of true discipleship by saying, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” Before we dig into the essence of His lesson on obedience versus hypocrisy, it is worth our while to unpack this title, “Lord.” After all, our attention is drawn to it by its double usage, which, in the economy of Bible study, should give pause for reflection.

The Greek word rendered “Lord” in our Bibles is kurios. Its usage has been the subject of many books, articles, sermons, and even controversies throughout the ages. Over the course of the next two days, we will look at: 1) how it was used in the cultural and historical milieu of Jesus’ time, and 2) how it has been used in our Bibles as a substitute for the divine name.

In the Greco-Roman world, the word kurios was used to designate one with special power or authority. Therefore, it could be translated as “lord,” “master,” “owner,” or “head of household.” In Mark 12:9, the term refers to the owner of the vineyard (“What will the kurios of the vineyard do?”). First Peter 3:6 says that “Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord,” again employing the term kurios. In Acts 25, Festus, the Roman governor of Judea, refers to the emperor as “my lord.” Jesus states, “No one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24), thus using it to denote the position of a servant. Therefore, it can be shown that the title is employed in a variety of ways and would have been familiar to all who heard it as an indication of authority.

The word takes on another meaning, however, when applied to Jesus. Recall that Jesus was rejected by those in His hometown who said, “Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary?” “…and they took offense at Him” (Mark 6:3). Yet He was called Lord (kurios) by all who recognized that He was more than a carpenter or a teacher; He was the Master. His lordship was apparent. The Scriptures say that “people were astonished at His teaching because He taught as one who has authority” (Mark 1:22). Therefore, many called Him Lord.

With this in mind, do we, too, call Him Lord? Does He have authority over our lives? Is He the Master of all that we say and do? Take a moment today to reflect on His lordship over you.

Ryan Hoffer serves as NextGen Production Director at NorthStar. He holds an M.Div in Church History and enjoys playing the harp. He and his wife, Tiffany, live in Acworth and have three children.

Digging Deeper: The Check Engine Light

Sellers Hickman on May 15, 2026

³⁷“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; ³⁸give, 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.”

³⁹He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? ⁴⁰A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. ⁴¹Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ⁴²How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

Luke 6:37-42 (ESV)

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT

Let’s step back and look at our Sunday passage as a whole and ask why Jesus includes this section of the Sermon on the Plain in the first place. At first glance, it can feel like a collection of separate teachings (don’t judge, don’t condemn, forgive, be careful with how you measure, don’t lead others blindly, and deal with the speck and the log). But Jesus isn’t giving disconnected moral sayings. He’s building one unified argument about what’s happening beneath the surface of our lives.

Because all of these external actions are really just fruit of something deeper: the heart. Judgment, condemnation, lack of forgiveness, spiritual blindness, and hypocrisy are not random behaviors; they are symptoms. They are evidence of an internal posture that is out of alignment. Jesus is not just addressing what people do; He is exposing what is really producing what they do.

This is why you can think of this whole passage like a “check engine light” moment. Something deeper is going on under the hood, and the warning signs are showing up in how people treat one another. (Do donkeys have dashboard lights and engines?)

Jesus reinforces this same idea elsewhere in Matthew 12:33–35: “For the tree is known by its fruit… For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” In other words, what comes out of a person’s life is not random; it reveals what has been growing inside them all along. Fruit doesn’t lie about the root!

That means Luke 6:37–42 is not just about managing behavior. It is about diagnosing formation. If someone is quick to judge, slow to forgive, or eager to correct others while ignoring their own blind spots, Jesus is saying those aren’t isolated issues. They are revealing something about what is shaping the heart.

That’s why He begins with judgment and condemnation in verse 37. “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Jesus is not removing discernment or accountability. He is confronting the posture behind it. Are you interacting with people from humility and grace, or from pride and superiority? Are you seeking restoration, or are you assigning worth and final verdicts?

Then He moves into measure and generosity in verse 38. The way we treat others is connected to what is happening inside us. A closed, critical, self-protective heart will produce a different kind of measure than a heart shaped by grace. Jesus is showing that even how we give and respond to others flows from something deeper than personality; it flows from formation.

Then He brings in the blind leading the blind in verses 39–40. Influence is never neutral. Everyone is being shaped by someone or something, and everyone is also shaping someone else. The question is not whether we are influencing others, but whether we are seeing clearly enough to lead well. Discipleship always produces resemblance (we become like what we consistently follow).

And finally, Jesus ends with the speck and the log in verses 41–42. This is where the whole passage sharpens because it exposes how easy it is to be aware of someone else’s small issue while being blind to our own larger ones. It’s not that correction is wrong; it’s that correction without self-awareness becomes hypocrisy. Jesus is not removing accountability. He is purifying it.

Put together, all of this is Jesus pressing one central truth: you cannot separate outward behavior from inward formation. What you see in how someone judges, forgives, measures, or corrects is revealing what is happening in their heart.

That also means the real issue is not just, “Am I doing the right things?” but, “What is shaping the way I see people in the first place?” Because a heart formed by pride will produce one kind of life, while a heart formed by grace will produce another.

And that’s both confronting and hopeful. Confronting, because it means we can’t just fix external behavior without addressing internal formation. Hopeful, because Jesus is not asking us to clean ourselves up in isolation. He is inviting us to be reshaped from the inside out.

So the question Luke 6:37–42 leaves us with is not simply about behavior modification. It is about heart examination! Here’s the question to consider as we close out this week: What does your natural response to other people, especially when you’re frustrated, disappointed, or critical, reveal about what is currently shaping your heart?

If your answer isn’t something you’re proud of, don’t miss this: Jesus doesn’t just expose what’s wrong in us; He also offers grace for us. The same Jesus who calls out blind spots also restores sight. The invitation is not shame, but surrender. He can reshape what’s underneath so that what comes out of your life begins to look more like Him!

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 Speck and the Log

Sellers Hickman on May 14, 2026

⁴¹Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ⁴²How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

Luke 6:41-42 (ESV)

THE SPECK AND THE LOG

Have you ever been in a situation where someone was completely convinced they were right about you, but they were missing something obvious about themselves? It’s frustrating, mostly because it feels so backwards. We tend to see clearly when it comes to other people, but not nearly as clearly when it comes to ourselves.

That’s exactly where Jesus takes us in Luke 6:41–42. Here we are in one of the most well-known parts of the passage: the speck and the log. This is a text that gets quoted often, especially as a way of shutting down any kind of correction or accountability. The idea becomes, “You can’t say anything about me,” or “You’ve got your own issues, so stay out of mine.” But that misses what Jesus is actually teaching, especially when you read it in the flow of what He has already said.

Just a few verses earlier, Jesus says, “A disciple is not above his teacher.” That raises an important question: What does a teacher actually do? A teacher instructs. A teacher corrects. A teacher helps someone see what they cannot see on their own. A good teacher doesn’t ignore mistakes; they address them. In fact, part of what makes someone a good teacher is their willingness to step in when something is off and guide it back into place.

Think about it in a simple, everyday setting. In sports, a coach doesn’t get fired for correcting players; he gets fired if he doesn’t. Imagine a high school baseball coach who never gave instruction, never adjusted form, never pointed out mistakes, and never held anyone accountable. He just stood there and said, “You’re doing great,” no matter what was happening on the field. That wouldn’t be kindness; it would be neglect. Or take it further: What if the coach never played at a high level, maybe never even had standout success as an athlete, but now he’s coaching players who are far more gifted? Does that disqualify him from speaking into their development? Of course not. His value isn’t in being the best player, but in having a different vantage point that helps others grow.

That’s the principle Jesus is working with. The issue in Luke 6:41–42 is not whether correction is allowed; it’s about posture. Jesus says, “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” It’s a picture of distorted vision. We tend to become incredibly aware of the small issues in other people’s lives while remaining blind to much larger issues in our own.

And Jesus makes it even more direct: “How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye?” Then He names it plainly: hypocrisy. Not because correction itself is wrong, but because correction without self-awareness is dangerous!

The point is not, “Never help someone grow.” The point is, “Don’t pretend you are above the same grace you’re trying to extend to someone else.” Jesus is not removing accountability. He is purifying it. He is calling His followers to be the kind of people who can help others see clearly, but only after they have allowed God to deal with their own vision first.

This is where it gets very practical. It is easy to drift into one of two extremes. On one side, you avoid ever speaking truth into someone’s life because you’re afraid of being judgmental. On the other side, you become someone who is quick to point out what is wrong in others while rarely slowing down to examine yourself. Jesus rejects both. He calls for humility that produces clarity.

This is also where community matters deeply. If you surround yourself only with people who think like you, act like you, and never challenge you, something subtle begins to happen. You stop seeing clearly. The “log” doesn’t disappear just because no one mentions it. But when you invite people into your life who love you enough to speak truth, something different happens. You begin to see what you couldn’t see before. You grow in ways you wouldn’t have on your own. Not because they are better than you, but because they are willing to see what you cannot always see in yourself.

At the same time, Jesus is clear that we are meant to help others grow. The goal is not to wait until we are perfect before we speak into anyone’s life. The goal is humility in process. We are people who are being shaped by grace and, therefore, able to help others while still being shaped ourselves.

So Jesus is not saying, “Don’t ever address the speck in someone else’s eye.” He is saying, “Don’t do it while ignoring the log in your own.” Deal with your own heart first. Let God refine your vision first. Then you will actually be able to help others in a way that brings healing instead of harm.

Take a minute to consider this today. Are the people closest to you helping you see your blind spots, or are they unintentionally reinforcing them? That’s a hard question to answer. But I have an even deeper (and scarier) question: If you’re honest, which one do you actually want shaping your life? One is the easy choice. The other is a path to righteousness!

Living a Life of Courage

Kevin Burrell on May 13, 2026

“But when she could no longer hide him, she got a basket made of papyrus reeds and waterproofed it with tar and pitch. She put the baby in the basket and laid it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile River.”

Exodus 2:3

LIVING A LIFE OF COURAGE

What a name! “Jochebed.”

Ever heard of her? Don’t feel bad. Most haven’t.

Jochebed’s story is one of the clearest pictures of courage in Scripture. She was the mother of Moses. In a season where fear ruled Egypt and Hebrew baby boys were marked for death, Jochebed refused to surrender her son without a fight. She hid Moses as long as she could. She protected him with everything she had. She crafted a basket, sealed it carefully with tar and pitch, and placed him among the reeds of the Nile. Every detail was intentional. Every action was an act of love.

But eventually, courage required something even harder.

She had to let go.

Ever been there? Imagine the weight of that moment. A mother placing her baby into a river she could no longer control. Jochebed could build the basket, but she could not steer the current. She could prepare Moses, but she could not protect him forever. At some point, her faith had to go farther than her hands could reach.

Like a fork in the road, that is where courage and surrender meet.

Many times, we think courage means holding on tighter, fighting harder, and controlling more. However, biblical courage is trusting God when we no longer have control over the outcome. It is doing everything we can do and then entrusting the rest to God.

“Let go and let God” sounds simple until you are standing at the edge of your own “Nile River.”

Maybe it is your child, your future, your career, your marriage, your health, your calling, or a prayer you have carried for years. We want guarantees. We want certainty. We want clarity. We want to know how everything will turn out before we release it into God’s hands. But faith doesn’t work that way.

Jochebed teaches us that surrender is not weakness. It is courage in its purest form.

She trusted that the God who gave her Moses was able to protect him better than she ever could. And God did more than preserve Moses’ life. He raised him up to become a deliverer for an entire nation.

Listen closely: What if the one thing you are struggling to release is the very thing God wants to use for your good and for His glory?

Courage means obeying God even when your fear is louder. Courage means trusting Him with your unanswered questions. Courage means believing that His hands are safer than your control.

Sometimes faith looks like building the basket, and sometimes faith looks like placing it in the river.

Both require courage!

Today, God may be asking you to release something you have been gripping tightly. Not because He wants to take it from you, but because He wants you to trust Him with it. The same God who watched over Moses in the Nile is the same God who is watching over you now.

You may not control the current, but you can trust the One who does.

Love God. Love People. Live Sent.

Be Worth Being.

Kevin

Digging Deeper: The Blind Leading the Blind

Sellers Hickman on May 13, 2026

Luke 6:39-40 (ESV)

THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND

These past few weeks at our college ministry, WAVE, I have been checking in with students on how their semester is ending. Here is the phrase I heard most from all of them: “I don’t have a final; I have a group project, and it’s not going well because everyone else in my group just started.”

Now, being in college ministry for a while, I have learned that the statement may not be fully true, and the student I am talking to is probably also just starting their part of the group project. It all starts the day the project is assigned. Either everyone knows what they’re doing and roles are clear, or nobody really understands the assignment, and somebody is tasked with taking the lead. Typically, the second option is 99% of group projects, and before long, the project isn’t just messy; it’s heading nowhere fast. The frustrating part is that everyone is doing something, but no one is actually equipped to do their part well.

That image helps make sense of what Jesus is getting at in Luke 6:39–40. At first, it sounds almost too obvious. Of course, a blind person cannot successfully guide another blind person. The outcome is predictable. But Jesus isn’t trying to give a clever observation about physical ability; He’s exposing something deeper about spiritual influence and formation.

It’s possible to be active, confident, and even well-intentioned while still lacking the clarity needed to actually lead others well. That’s what makes this teaching so important because Jesus is not just talking about leadership in a formal sense. He’s talking about influence, discipleship, and the reality that every person is shaping someone else’s life in some way.

That means the question is not whether you are influencing others; you are! The question is whether your influence is actually grounded in truth, clarity, and maturity in Christ.

It helps to think about this in everyday life. A new believer trying to disciple someone else without ever having been discipled themselves. A person giving advice about prayer while rarely praying themselves. Someone encouraging others toward generosity while living with a closed-handed posture toward their own resources. None of these situations require malicious intent to become dangerous. They simply require a lack of clarity. And over time, unclear leadership tends to lead people into confusion rather than growth.

That’s why Jesus asks, “Will they not both fall into a pit?” The danger is not just personal; it’s multiplied! When someone who cannot see clearly leads another who also cannot see clearly, the result is shared misdirection. Influence always moves in a direction, and when that direction is off, the consequences don’t stay isolated.

But Jesus doesn’t stop with warning. He also reframes what growth actually looks like. “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone, when he is fully trained, will be like his teacher.” In other words, formation always leads to resemblance. You become like what you consistently learn from, listen to, and follow. That’s true in everyday life. Athletes begin to mirror their coaches. Students begin to think like the professors they learn from most. Even friendships slowly shape tone, habits, and perspective. Over time, imitation happens almost without noticing it. Jesus is saying the same is true spiritually: what you are close to is what you will begin to look like. Discipleship is not just about knowing more; it’s about becoming like the One you are following. And because that is true, who you follow matters deeply.

At the same time, Jesus is not telling people to step back from influence until they feel “fully ready.” That would leave everyone disqualified forever. Instead, He is calling for humility in how we see ourselves. We are always both learners and influencers at the same time. We are being shaped, and we are shaping others. The key is not perfection; it’s direction.

We can’t excuse ourselves from obedience just because we feel immature in certain areas. If you feel like you are not exactly where you want to be in your prayer life, that doesn’t mean you stop praying or stop praying with others. If you haven’t memorized Scripture before, that doesn’t mean you avoid sitting down with a friend and memorizing a passage together. Growth doesn’t require arrival; it requires willingness. Waiting until you feel “ready enough” often becomes a way of delaying obedience rather than pursuing maturity.

That means we should take seriously who we are allowing to shape us. Not every voice deserves equal weight. Not every example is worth imitating. If what you are following is unclear, unstable, or disconnected from Christ, it will eventually show up in the way you live and lead others.

But it also means we don’t have to withdraw in fear. Even as we are still growing, God can use us. We can encourage someone, point them toward truth, and walk with others in faith while still learning ourselves. The difference is humility. It takes knowing we are not the source, but we are being formed by the true Teacher.

So this passage leaves us with both a warning and an invitation. Be careful who you are following closely. Be honest about what is actually shaping you. And be aware that your life is already influencing someone else, whether you realize it or not.