Digging Deeper: Every Family Member Has a Gift

Avatar photo Sellers Hickman on August 4, 2026

 

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

1 Corinthians 12:14-20 (ESV)


EVERY FAMILY MEMBER HAS A GIFT

 

Growing up, I always loved birthday parties. Sure, the cake and ice cream were great, but every kid knows the best part was watching the presents being opened. There was always that anticipation. What are they going to get? Will they love it? Should I ask my mom for that thing? There’s something exciting about receiving a gift because a good gift communicates that someone knows you, values you, and intentionally chose something with you in mind.

Sometimes my mind wanders, and I imagine what it must be like when someone places their faith in Jesus. I picture heaven celebrating, the angels rejoicing, and then God saying, “I’ve got something for you.” Not a new car or a winning lottery ticket, but something much better… a spiritual gift. The God who created the universe also takes the time to uniquely equip every one of His children. No one is forgotten. No one is overlooked. Every believer has been gifted for a purpose.

Yesterday we talked about how we belong before we serve. Our identity comes before our activity. We don’t earn our place in God’s family through serving. We serve because we’ve already been welcomed into the family. Once we understand that truth, the next question naturally becomes, “What role has God given me to play?”

Paul answers that question in 1 Corinthians 12 by comparing the church to a body. At first, it’s a funny picture. You’re an eye. Someone else is an ear. Someone else is a hand. Apparently, somebody gets to be the big toe. But the illustration makes perfect sense when you stop and think about your own body.

Have you ever stubbed your toe or had a sinus infection? Neither seems like a big deal, yet suddenly your whole body feels affected. Your mood changes, your energy drops, and everything becomes a little harder. Why? Because every part of your body matters, even the parts you rarely think about.

That’s Paul’s point. The church isn’t made up of identical people doing identical things. God intentionally designed His family with different gifts. Some people naturally encourage others. Some teach. Some lead. Others quietly serve behind the scenes, show mercy, or organize details. Every one of those gifts matters because every one of those people matters.

Paul writes, “God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as He chose.” Don’t miss those last three words: as He chose. Your gift wasn’t random, and it certainly wasn’t a mistake. God intentionally gave it to you because He knows exactly what His church needs. Before you were ever aware of your strengths, He already knew how He wanted to use your life to build up His people.

One of the biggest obstacles to embracing our gifts is comparison. We watch someone preach, lead worship, or welcome people with ease and think, I wish I could do that. Before long, we begin believing that someone else’s gift is more important than our own.

Paul completely tears down that way of thinking. He imagines the foot saying, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong,” or the ear saying, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong.” That sounds ridiculous. A foot was never supposed to be a hand. An ear was never meant to be an eye. Yet we often do the same thing by wishing we had someone else’s gifts instead of faithfully using our own.

God isn’t asking you to be someone else. He’s asking you to faithfully steward what He’s already entrusted to you. The church doesn’t need another copy of someone else. It needs you to be faithful with the gifts He’s given you.

That’s especially true when we think about serving at NorthStar (or wherever you might call home). It’s easy to assume the most important roles are the ones everyone can see, but every Sunday is held together by people faithfully serving in ways that often go unnoticed. Someone helped park cars before the first family arrived. Someone made coffee. Someone welcomed guests at the door. Someone checked children into classrooms. Someone prepared slides or served behind a camera. Many of those people will never stand on a stage, but their faithfulness helps create an environment where people can encounter Jesus.

The church isn’t built by a few visible leaders. It’s built by an entire family using the gifts God has entrusted to them.

It’s also important to remember that spiritual gifts aren’t simply natural talents. God certainly uses our personalities and abilities, but spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of building up the church. They were never meant to make us look impressive. They were given so others would be strengthened and Jesus would be glorified.

If you’re not sure what your spiritual gifts are yet, don’t panic. Most people don’t discover them by taking a quiz. They discover them by serving. As you begin saying yes to opportunities, you’ll start noticing patterns. Maybe people are consistently encouraged when you teach. Maybe children naturally connect with you. Maybe you come alive organizing details or making first-time guests feel at home. God often reveals our gifting as we faithfully step out in obedience.

Remember, this isn’t about finding the most important role. It’s about faithfully using whatever God has entrusted to you. Every member of God’s family has received a gift, and every gift matters because every member matters.

 

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: I Belong Before I Serve

Avatar photo Sellers Hickman on August 3, 2026

 

19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:19-22 (ESV)


I BELONG BEFORE I SERVE

 

I have always been intrigued by the order of operations. What came first, the chicken or the egg? In math equations, do you multiply or divide first? (I thought the answer was common knowledge thanks to PEMDAS… but my Facebook feed tells me differently!) Even in cooking, the order matters. If you try to bake cookies without first combining all the ingredients, things probably won’t turn out very well.

The order of operations matters in life. It also matters in our faith.

Now, our spiritual growth isn’t always neat and linear. Everyone has a different story, and God often works in unexpected ways. But throughout Scripture, we see that there is an important order to the Christian life. Before God calls us to do something for Him, He first tells us who we are because of Him.

That’s exactly what Paul is doing in Ephesians 2. Before he ever talks about what believers do, he reminds them of what God has already done. He tells them they are “no longer strangers and aliens” but are now “members of the household of God.”

Think about those two descriptions for a moment.

A stranger doesn’t know anyone. An outsider doesn’t feel like they belong. A visitor wonders if they are really welcome. But family? Family belongs.

The moment we place our faith in Jesus, everything changes. We aren’t slowly working our way into God’s family or earning a seat at His table. We are adopted. We become sons and daughters of God. We go from being far away to being welcomed home, from spiritual outsiders to citizens of heaven, from strangers to family.

This is our identity!

So, when do we officially become part of God’s family? Is it when we’re baptized? When we join a small group? When we start serving on Sundays? When we’ve been Christians for a certain number of years? No!

The moment we trust in Christ, we belong to Him! That’s good news because it means God’s love isn’t based on our performance. He doesn’t wait to see how useful we’ll be before He welcomes us into His family. He welcomes us first.

Paul says it well in Ephesians 2:8–9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Grace always comes before works. Identity always comes before activity. Belonging always comes before serving.

I think this is where many of us get it backward—unintentionally. We know the church needs volunteers and that serving is important. So we jump in and slowly begin to hope that if we do enough for God, maybe we’ll finally feel close to Him. We begin measuring our relationship with Jesus by our productivity. We assume that if we are busy doing things for God, then He must be pleased with us.

Maybe you’ve felt that before. When you’re serving every week, you feel like you’re doing well spiritually. When you’re not serving, guilt starts creeping in.

Slowly, your identity shifts from being a child of God to being a worker for God. But those are not the same thing. Can I tell you something that might sound surprising? If you have placed your faith in Jesus and, for whatever reason, were never able to serve another day in your life, God would not love you any less.

That doesn’t mean serving isn’t important. It means serving isn’t what secures your place in God’s family. We’re reminded in Isaiah 64:6 that even our best efforts are never enough to earn God’s favor. Isaiah writes that “all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.”

Our works could never save us. Only Jesus could.

Ultimately, we don’t greet people on Sundays so God will accept us. We don’t hold babies in the nursery so He’ll love us more. We don’t park cars, make coffee, run cameras, lead worship, or teach kids because we’re trying to earn His approval. We do those things because we’ve already received His approval through Christ.

Serving isn’t payment for salvation. It’s gratitude because of salvation. In fact, when we truly understand our identity in Christ, serving stops feeling like an obligation and starts becoming a joy.

Why? Because family members naturally care for one another. They celebrate together. They carry one another’s burdens. They pitch in when something needs to be done.

As we begin this series, don’t start by asking, “Where should I serve?” Start by asking a better question: Do I truly believe I belong?

That is where it all begins.

 

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 First and the Last

Avatar photo Chris Boggess on July 31, 2026

 

“You must not have any other god but me.”

“You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.”

Exodus 20:3; 17 (NLT)


THE FIRST AND THE LAST

Let’s come back to something we talked about on day one: the first and last commandments.

I only recently noticed that the first and last commandments (you could call them the bread of the Ten Commandment sandwich) feel closely connected. All the other commandments have outward evidence that reveals whether or not you are obeying them. They also have tangible impacts on the people around you. If you create an idol, people can see it and might even be tempted to join you in worship. If you lie, murder, steal, or commit adultery, other people will eventually find out.

But putting God first and refusing to covet are different. You can claim to be obeying these commandments whether you actually are or not. Ultimately, observing these two commandments is between you and God.

We are called to put God first. When we covet, however, we place the things we desire ahead of Him. At its core, coveting reflects a lack of trust. Perhaps we believe God is holding out on us or giving others something better. I am not saying that having possessions—or even wanting them—is necessarily wrong. The problem comes when we want something more than we want God.

So, the first commandment can be summarized as, “Don’t put anyone above God,” and the last commandment as, “Don’t put anything before God.” God wants us to find our deepest and eternal satisfaction in Him instead of trying to fill our hearts with the things of this world.

I love this quote by John Piper from Living in the Light: “When the truth is suppressed, and the light is rejected, and the glory of God is disregarded, something always takes their place. The human heart hates a vacuum. We may never merely leave God because we value him little; we always exchange God for what we value more.”

Take a moment and consider your heart. Is there anyone or anything you are placing above God?

 

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 – One Command, or Two?

Avatar photo Chris Boggess on July 30, 2026

 

“I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.

7 “You must not have any other god but me.

8 “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind, or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. 9 You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. 10 But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those[b] who love me and obey my commands.

11 “You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.

12 “Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. 13 You have six days each week for your ordinary work, 14 but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your oxen and donkeys and other livestock, and any foreigners living among you. All your male and female servants must rest as you do. 15 Remember that you were once slaves in Egypt, but the Lord your God brought you out with his strong hand and powerful arm. That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to rest on the Sabbath day.

16 “Honor your father and mother, as the Lord your God commanded you. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

17 “You must not murder.

18 “You must not commit adultery.

19 “You must not steal.

20 “You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.

21 “You must not covet your neighbor’s wife. You must not covet your neighbor’s house or land, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor. 

Deuteronomy 5:6-21 (NLT)


ONE COMMAND, OR TWO?

I grew up in church and always thought I knew the Ten Commandments. I mean, they’re right there on the page and seem pretty straightforward. So, I was surprised to learn from a Roman Catholic friend that my numbering wasn’t the same as his.

You see, this list, often referred to as the “Decalogue,” is important enough to God that it appears twice in Scripture.

Catholics use Augustine’s numbering, which is based on the Deuteronomy 5 account of the commandments rather than the Exodus 20 account that we’ve been studying on Sundays. In Augustine’s numbering, what we call the first and second commandments (“You shall have no other gods before Me” and “You shall not make for yourself a carved image”) are combined into a single commandment. Then, at the end of the list, coveting your neighbor’s wife is counted as the ninth commandment, while coveting your neighbor’s possessions is counted as the tenth—taking what Protestants count as one commandment and dividing it into two.

One more interesting fact: Judaism numbers the Ten Commandments differently from both Catholics and Protestants. The first commandment is Exodus 20:2: “I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery.” Then what Protestants number as the first and second commandments (Exodus 20:3–6) are combined into a single commandment.

So, is coveting one commandment or two? I would argue that it doesn’t matter whether you are coveting a person or a possession. They don’t need to be separated. In fact, we could say that coveting a person is a form of objectification. That person simply becomes something we want, while their humanity, personality, and desires are pushed aside.

Treating people like things is something God repeatedly speaks against through His prophets, and it certainly violates the second greatest commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Take a moment to evaluate your own heart. Are there people in your life whom you may not be coveting, but whom you are failing to treat with the dignity due to someone created in God’s image? Ask God to forgive you, and perhaps you also need to ask that person for forgiveness.

 

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 – Time for a Cartoon Break

Avatar photo Chris Boggess on July 29, 2026

 

Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. 

Philippians 4:11-13 (NLT)


TIME FOR A CARTOON BREAK

I, like probably many of you, grew up on Saturday morning cartoons. At a time when there was no streaming—not even VHS tapes or DVDs—you had to get up early and stay planted in front of the TV until around noon to enjoy all the colorful goodness! Even getting up to grab a bowl of cereal or use the bathroom was a race to beat the end of the commercial break.

Even the commercials were pretty cool sometimes. In between episodes of Scooby-Doo or Super Friends, there were ads for Hot Wheels, Micronauts, and Stretch Armstrong. But we all knew they were just commercials, so it was okay if we missed a few while enjoying the main shows.

TV networks were also required to include educational programming during commercial breaks, and that’s where the classic Schoolhouse Rock! segments came in. Everyone of a certain age just started hearing “Conjunction Junction” playing on repeat in their heads…you’re welcome.

Then the FCC relaxed its rules about marketing to children, and in the 1980s, the lines between commercials and cartoons began to blur. Was He-Man a cartoon, or was it really a long-form advertisement? It seemed like every toy line had its own TV show designed to boost sales.

The goal of the advertising was to make kids see those toys as not merely things they wanted, but things they needed. Coveting was the objective. You would watch the show and then see a commercial featuring kids just like you playing with those toys in a bedroom or backyard that looked just like yours. You’d think, “That could be me,” or, even more intensely, “That should be me.”

So you begged your parents, wrote requests to Santa, or “accidentally” left birthday wish lists where your parents were sure to find them. But inevitably, when we finally got those toys, they never lived up to the promise of the commercials. Those things never satisfied the longing that the marketing had ignited.

Some of us may still have trouble shaking off the programming that was instilled by G.I. Joe and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The world wants us to covet. Advertisers want us to look outward for satisfaction in things, but God wants us to look to Him. The “things” we believe we need will never truly satisfy us.

Take a moment to reread Paul’s words to the church at Philippi that are quoted at the beginning of this post. Where do you need to learn contentment? Where in your life are you more tuned in to the commercials playing around you than to the blessings you already have?

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.

Make Every Day Count

Kevin Burrell on July 29, 2026

 

“Pay close attention to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time you have, because the days are evil.” 

Ephesians 5:15-16

 

MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT

Recently, I came across a powerful quote: “They can make more money—but they can’t make more time.”

One of the greatest reminders that tomorrow is never promised is the story of my own father and sister.

It was Easter Sunday morning in 2021. My father was doing exactly what he had done for countless years—getting ready to go to church and worship his risen Savior.

As he stepped into his car to drive to the Easter morning service, the Lord called him home. There was no warning. None of us knew that what seemed like an ordinary Sunday morning would become his entrance into eternity. He never made it to the church building, but by God’s grace, he arrived in the presence of the One he had faithfully worshiped every day.

Then, exactly one month later, my sister woke up like it was any other day. But by noon, she was gone, having passed away suddenly and unexpectedly.

Time is the one resource God gives equally to every person. Every morning we wake up with a fresh 24 hours—or 86,400 seconds—yet none of us are promised we’ll make it through the day.

Paul reminds us in Ephesians to “pay careful attention” to how we live. That phrase implies intentionality. It means we don’t drift through life—we direct it. We don’t waste our days—we steward them. We manage our time, or our time will manage us.

The world constantly competes for our attention. Endless distractions, entertainment, meetings, and busyness can consume our schedules while leaving our souls empty. It’s possible to be busy every day, yet accomplish nothing of eternal value. Paul says that wisdom is found in “making the best use of the time.”

Don’t miss that!

In other words, redeem every opportunity God places before you.

Live today as if there is no tomorrow—not with fear, but with purpose. Love your family well. Encourage someone who is discouraged. Share your faith. Forgive quickly. Serve generously. Invest in people rather than possessions.

The greatest legacy you will ever leave isn’t what you accumulated; it’s who you influenced for Christ.

One day, our careers will end. Our achievements will fade. Our names may even be forgotten. But every act of obedience to God, every soul impacted, every life encouraged, and every seed of faith planted will continue to bear fruit long after we’re gone. That’s the kind of life that outlives the grave.

Listen Closely: The greatest legacy isn’t how long you live, but how faithfully you live until God calls you home.

So ask yourself today:

If this were my last day, would I spend it the way I’m planning to?

Am I investing my time in things that matter for eternity, or merely things that matter for the moment?

Every day is a gift. Every moment is an opportunity. Every decision is an investment in eternity.

Choose to walk wisely, redeem the time you have, and live in such a way that when your race is finished, the impact of your life continues to point others to Jesus long after you’re gone.

Make Every Day Count!

 

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 – The Heart Lies

Avatar photo Chris Boggess on July 28, 2026

 

“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
    and desperately wicked.
    Who really knows how bad it is?
10 But I, the Lord, search all hearts
    and examine secret motives.
I give all people their due rewards,
    according to what their actions deserve.”

Jeremiah 17:9-10 (NLT)


THE HEART LIES

Jeremiah 17:9 is a verse that I quoted many times during my years in student ministry. Adolescent brains develop from the back to the front; the parts of the brain that control feelings and desires mature before the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for reasoning and decision-making. In a sense, our “heart” is really in the middle of our brain. For a teenager, that “heart” is often the loudest voice in their head.

We have all lived through this stage of life, and we know that many of the decisions we made as teenagers were not especially well-reasoned or insightful. In fact, many of them were downright foolish. This is one reason I am so thankful my teenage years predated social media, so there isn’t a permanent record of all my bad decisions. The problem for many of us is that, like teenagers, we continue to trust our emotional hearts and rationalize their desires.

In our culture today, we often place extra emphasis on those desires. We use phrases like, “My heart is set on it,” or, “The heart wants what it wants.” We justify our desires with sayings such as, “Follow your heart,” or, “Trust your heart.”

But Jeremiah encourages us to do the exact opposite! He warns us not to trust our hearts, reminding us that they can deceive us. What our hearts want is often not what God wants for us. At its core, coveting is choosing to trust our hearts more than we trust our God.

Trusting God is the opposite of trusting our hearts. I love what Jeremiah 17:10 tells us—that God examines our hearts and rewards us according to our ways and the fruit of our actions. It is important to note that God is not merely concerned with our outward behavior but also with our motives. Our relationship with God is not rooted simply in what we do but in what is in our hearts.

Just like yesterday, take a moment to examine your heart. Are you trusting your heart more than you are trusting God?

 

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 Heart of the Issue

Avatar photo Chris Boggess on July 27, 2026

 

“You must not have any other god but me.” 

“You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.” “

Exodus 20:3; 17 (NLT)

“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ 22 But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! 

 “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 

Matthew 5:21-22a; 27-28 (NLT)


THE HEART OF THE ISSUE

Years ago, I remember there being a big kerfuffle about whether the Ten Commandments should be displayed in courthouses. The pro-display crowd argued that the Ten Commandments were a legal document and therefore had a place in modern courthouses.

I always thought this argument was a little off. The Ten Commandments definitely give us a template for how to live in harmony with one another and with God, but as a legal document, they are severely lacking. They identify offenses but provide no indication of the punishments for violating them. Then they conclude with the unusual commandment, “Do not covet.”

Unlike stealing, murder, or adultery, coveting does not directly affect those around me. It is not an action but a thought. And last I checked, we do not make laws about thoughts.

At first glance, the commandment about coveting seems a bit out of place among the other nine. It stands out because it can be hidden away. It is a commandment that only you and God know whether you are keeping.

But there is one other commandment like it: the first commandment, to have no other gods before Jehovah. I believe these two commandments are the key to understanding what God is telling His people through the Ten Commandments.

I believe Jesus was helping His listeners understand what these commandments were truly teaching when He addressed two of the biggest ones on the list: adultery and murder. Instead of focusing only on the actions themselves, Jesus pointed out that these sinful actions begin in our thoughts—with the desires and impulses that come before the action.

Jesus addressed two commandments that are clearly tied to outward actions and explained that the actions themselves are not the root problem. Rather, they are symptoms of an issue within the heart.

Take a moment for some honest self-reflection. Is your heart aligned with God today? What have you allowed to come before Him in your life?

Surrender those things to Him. Get your heart right, and obedience to the other commands will follow.

 

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 Heart Behind the Words

Avatar photo Larry Grays on July 24, 2026

 

“A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart.”

Matthew 12:35 (NLT)


THE HEART BEHIND THE WORDS

 

A little girl proudly announced to her mother, “I didn’t say anything mean to my brother today.” Her mom smiled and asked, “What were you thinking?” The little girl paused and replied, “Oh…I thought lots of mean things. I just didn’t say them.” Children have a wonderful way of reminding us that God cares about more than our behavior.

Throughout this week’s passages, we’ve discovered that the ninth commandment isn’t merely about telling the truth. It’s about becoming truthful people. That transformation begins in the heart. Jesus changes us from the inside out. As He reshapes our hearts, our speech changes naturally. We begin speaking with greater honesty, greater courage, greater kindness, and greater encouragement because His Spirit is producing new fruit within us.

The goal isn’t simply controlling our tongues through willpower. The goal is allowing Christ to transform our hearts. That’s the gift of the Gospel. We don’t become truthful people by trying harder. We become truthful people by staying closer to Jesus. As our hearts become more like His, our words increasingly overflow with His grace and truth. May people hear Jesus every time they hear us speak.

Reflection Questions

If someone listened to your conversations all week, what would they learn about your heart and God’s heart?

How is Jesus inviting you to grow in truth and grace?

Suggested Prayer

Lord Jesus, continue transforming my heart so that my words consistently point people to You. Let my speech be marked by truth, love, grace, and encouragement every day. Amen.

 

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: Do My Words Build Up My Neighbor?

Avatar photo Larry Grays on July 23, 2026

 

“Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”

Ephesians 4:29 (NLT)


DO MY WORDS BUILD UP MY NEIGHBOR?

 

In 1854, a young Thomas Edison was sent home from school with a sealed note for his mother, Nancy Edison. The teacher’s note stated that Thomas was “addled,” intellectually deficient, and could no longer be taught at the school. Nancy, however, chose not to repeat the teacher’s cruel assessment. Instead, she read the note aloud to her son, telling him, “Your teacher says you are too smart for this school and should be homeschooled.” She chose to frame his differences as signs of genius rather than failure. Decades later, after finding that very note among his mother’s papers, Edison wrote, “Thomas A. Edison was an addled child that, by a hero mother, became the genius of the century.” Her words didn’t just build him up; they literally redirected the course of his life—and, arguably, modern history.

Paul tells believers in Ephesians 4:29 to “let everything you say be good and helpful.” This is a mandate to filter our speech through the lens of grace. Notice that Paul doesn’t stop with truth; he instructs us to communicate in a way that provides “encouragement to those who hear.” Truth without love can be harsh, and love without truth can be empty. Biblical communication always brings both together.

Every conversation is an opportunity either to strengthen someone’s faith or weaken their spirit. Our words can heal or wound, encourage or discourage. We have a unique calling to intentionally use our speech to build others up. Imagine what would happen if every conversation at home, at work, at school, and at church became an intentional act of grace.

Reflection Questions

  • Who in your life needs an encouraging word from you today?
  • How can you make your conversations more intentional this week by focusing on “building up” rather than simply “speaking”?

Suggested Prayer

Father, thank You for the power of words. Let my mouth become an instrument of Your grace so that everything I say is helpful and an encouragement to everyone I meet. Amen.

 

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.