Our Daily Bread Podcast | Our Daily Bread

On a teaching trip to Moscow, I decided to take the subway to get lunch. Standing in the subway car, I started whistling simply because I felt good after an enjoyable morning teaching and the day was pleasant. The passengers stared at me like I was insane.

One of my favorite books of optical illusions always astounds me as the pictures deceive my eyes—like one with two lines of the same length appearing to be different sizes, or the famous “impossible staircase” in which four flights of stairs seem to link in a continuous loop. It can also be a little disconcerting to realize we don't always see things as they truly are.

When a father learned his five-year-old daughter had fallen overboard from the fourth deck of the cruise ship they were on, he plunged into the ocean forty feet below to rescue her. He held on to his daughter while treading water for more than ten minutes before the ship's rescue team brought them safely back on board. As soon as the father heard his daughter was in trouble, he risked everything to save her.

My young grandson was spending the night in our new home, in a bed unfamiliar to him. He giggled with excitement as we read books under the dinosaur tent I'd pitched atop his cozy comforter, but when it was time to sleep, his eyes widened with worry. “How will I find you if I need you?”

Elise felt the panic rising. The book layout was due the next day, but the printer had rejected the photos. It could take days to sort it out.

On England's south coast, two women who are both named Kate run the Coffin Club. They created this place for people to prepare for their eventual death through selecting and decorating their coffins. Kate's dad died when she was thirteen, and she said, “It was horrendous.

Shiro Oguni once visited a group home for adults with dementia. Heartbroken at their isolation from the hum of society, he felt there ought to be a better way. Oguni's creative genius led to what is known as the Restaurant of Mistaken Orders, an actual restaurant with this added twist—all the wait staff struggle with memory loss.

While driving her nine-year-old son to camp, a mother got lost after taking a wrong turn and getting the car stuck on a rural forest road in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Her GPS and phone quit working because of the remote area, so they were unable to retrace their way back. In desperation after being stranded for more than twenty-four hours and sleeping in their car overnight, they began to walk.

A loud thump came from a window in the classroom where I was teaching and startled the students. Then another thump! A bird had flown headlong into the glass and bounced off, only to make another run for yet another crash.

Nestled in a corner of the brick steps leading up to our front door is a hardy little scarlet begonia. We didn't plant it—it must have grown there from a seed that fell out of a hanging basket. But we've let it remain.

The sound of the cascading water confirmed that I'd arrived at the 9/11 Memorial Pools in New York City, a place I'd avoided visiting for fear of being overwhelmed by sadness and grief from what took place there that tragic day in 2001. I walked around the two large reflection pools located where the Twin Towers once stood. It was deeply moving to see all the names of those who died etched on the walls—some with roses placed on them by loved ones.

Though we didn't live in the same state as my maternal grandparents, I'm grateful to have known them as well as I did. They traveled regularly to Colorado to see us, and we enjoyed visits with them in California. As my sister and I became adults, our conversations with our grandparents expanded from playful childhood topics to include more serious discussion of finances.

Before my close friend's wedding, we meticulously set the table for two hundred guests at the reception. With joyful anticipation we spent hours folding napkins, aligning cutlery, straightening tablecloths, and arranging flowers. After putting in all that work, we couldn't wait for guests to arrive and enjoy it!

Rachel “church hopped” for three years before finding a Bible study group that provided what she couldn't find in a traditional church—community. Rachel is Deaf.

My wife, Sue, and I had just finished walking five miles across the Mackinac Bridge, which links Michigan's two peninsulas. This annual Labor Day event in the United States is a tradition in our state dating back to 1958. We grabbed a seat on a park bench to rest.

A twenty-seven-year-old student studying in Japan had to be rescued from Mount Fuji twice in one week! After being airlifted during his first climb due to dangerous conditions, he realized he'd left his phone and other belongings behind. Four days later, ignoring warnings, he returned to the mountain, only to need to be rescued again—this time suffering from altitude sickness.

In thirteenth-century France, legend has it that a knight left his baby boy at home guarded by his greyhound dog Guinefort. The knight returned to find chaos—the crib overturned, his son nowhere to be seen, and his hound's mouth covered in blood. Assuming the dog had harmed his son, he killed it.

My smartphone occasionally reminds me I'm not good at digital housekeeping. “Junk files are taking up space,” the message reads.

“I killed people in the past,” Tanitan said, “but ever since I chose to believe in Jesus Christ, He will not allow me to commit such practices anymore.” Tanitan, a member of the Ilongot tribe from the Sierra Madre mountains in the Philippines, came from a culture of head-hunting—the practice of hunting humans and severing their heads.

Before our trip to Switzerland, my mental snapshot was of snowy Alps, goats grazing, and mountain farmers blowing alpine horns. However, as we drove south from Zurich, the landscape was the same drab tangle of highways we saw in any city. When we got close to our lodging, we had to drive up a precarious one-lane dirt road.

In Monterey Bay, California, a boat captain saw fifteen Pacific white-sided dolphins join a super pod of more than two thousand dolphins. Various types and ages of dolphins gather in pods to fend off predators, feed, and socialize. Still, the size and diversity of this super pod was a rare sight to behold.

Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer became famous for his talent at age twenty. The art critics of his day called him “the greatest mind that ever expressed itself in line.” As his fame spread, influential people tried to hire him with promises of luxury and ease. Even other acclaimed artists such as Giovanni Bellini and Raphael revered his work. In what experts consider to be his best self-portrait, Dürer mingled his physical characteristics with what he thought Jesus might have looked like. He painted himself with long wavy hair, a beard, and eyes that seemed to convey a sense of divine purpose. Many assumed this piece was a prideful statement about the artist’s opinion of himself. Others who were familiar with his virtuous character believed the painting wasn’t blasphemous or big-headed but aspirational. They believed Dürer wanted to live a life that would allow people to see Jesus in him. If we truly know Christ, this is our desire as well. Believing in Him and accepting His death and resurrection as the basis for our relationship with God means we should now live for Jesus—not for ourselves (Galatians 2:19). We live for Him and He lives in us and works through us. The apostle Paul said this about his spiritual transformation: “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (v. 20). May the glory of Christ shine through our lives today so that the world sees Him in us.

After Hurricane Helene’s floodwaters nearly destroyed his small North Carolina town in 2024, a pastor noticed an inspiring pattern. As he struggled to answer the persistent question, “What do you need?” donations kept showing up exactly when he needed them. Phone chargers? Out of the blue, a man drove up with a generator, creating a charging station at the church. Drinking water? Suddenly, pallets of water bottles arrived. Coincidence? The Bible points us to God, not mere happenstance. “My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). The promise might seem empty to a town nearly demolished by a thirty-foot wall of raging water. But Paul, who was in prison when he offered this encouragement, was no stranger to hardship. Paul was writing to the church in Philippi to thank them for badly needed financial gifts. Except for them, he’d been neglected (v. 15). But God used them to meet his needs. So, His words shined a bright light on God who provided the “riches of His glory” found in Christ Jesus our Savior, in whom we have “every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3). Joy, peace, truth, salvation are among the needs He richly provides. In kindness as well, He’ll provide a drink of water too, if that’s what we need. What a loving, generous God.

Researchers discovered that the water anole can stay underwater for twenty minutes without a fresh gulp of air. The tiny lizard has water-repelling skin, and after taking a deep dive it exhales a bubble of air that sticks to its snout. The clever creature then rebreathes the bubble again and again—something scientists believe is the recycling of the trapped air supply. Although water anoles possess this special ability, like many creatures, they must breathe to live. In Genesis we read that God “breathed into [Adam’s] nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (2:7). As He created all things in “the heavens and the earth” (v. 4), He also created man from “the dust of the ground” (v. 7). But it took God’s breath of life to make His creation fully alive. He transformed the first human into a living being—a living soul. Later, He formed Eve from Adam’s rib (v. 22). As spiritual beings, we’re able to serve God and enjoy fellowship with Him by belief in Christ. Jesus “breathed on” the disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 12:20). One commentator writes that this “ ‘inbreathing’ of the Holy Spirit is essential in order for people to enjoy fellowship with God.” Each breath we take is God’s gift of physical life. As believers in Jesus, it’s also a reflection of our eternal life and being indwelt by the life-giving Spirit (Romans 8:11).

The CEO was hurting employees with his sharp tongue. No one dared confront him. Everyone was afraid of him, including Gene. But one day the CEO berated a new employee, reducing her to tears. When Gene saw how everyone in the room stayed silent, he spoke up. “I told him the way he was treating people was wrong,” Gene recalls. “He was astonished; it was the first time someone stood up to him. He didn’t change, but I’m glad I spoke up.” Scripture tells us of another man who stood up to a challenge many were afraid of. Shammah, a military warrior of David, came from difficult circumstances (see 1 Samuel 22:1-2), but God used him to defeat the Philistines, a formidable enemy of the Israelites. “When the Philistines banded together at . . . a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them” (2 Samuel 23:11). Only Shammah had the courage to defend Israel’s food supply. Being the lone man against the Philistine army meant death, but Shammah “took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it” (v. 12). God helped Shammah defeat the Philistines (v. 12). He may have been the only Israelite in the field, but he wasn’t alone－God was with him, giving him great victory that day. There may be times when we’re called to stand up to a challenge that everyone else is avoiding. Like Shammah, let’s take our stand, relying on God’s presence and help.

In 2018, a man checked into a room at New York hotel for a one-night stay. Remarkably, he used the room for five years without paying another cent—exploiting obscure rent laws to hold on to it. His refusal to leave, however, eventually led to potential prison time for him. Like an unwelcome tenant who overstays, James warns us that the devil lingers in our lives when left unchecked. “Resist the devil,” James writes, “and he will flee from you” (4:7). The apostle emphasizes that our struggles often come from impure “desires” and “wrong motives” (vv. 1, 3)—things like pride, divided loyalties, and impure thoughts residing in our hearts. To counter such temptation, James offers two commands: “submit . . . to God” and “resist the devil” (v. 7). To submit means surrendering every part of our lives to God. Resisting the devil is equally active, requiring prayer, vigilance, and the wisdom of Scripture. Like a landlord evicting an unlawful tenant, in God’s strength we can refuse to let the temptation of the devil overtake us. As we resist him, God promises victory as James asserts: “He will flee from you” (v. 7). When we evict sin and the devil’s influence and “come near to God” (v. 8), we allow His peace, joy, and purpose to dwell more fully in us. The enemy can’t stay where God reigns!

Speaking to a group of young actors, Academy-Award-winning actor Denzel Washington encouraged them to begin each day with prayer, suggesting they “put your shoes way under the bed at night” to ensure they "gotta get on your knees in the morning.” Developing a regular habit of prayer might take some thoughtful and even creative planning, but it’s a practice that has sustained God’s people throughout history—especially in difficult times. We see this in the life of Daniel, who was served in King Darius’ administration. He quickly distinguished himself as the top government advisor, which angered local officials. Out of jealously they plotted to oust the prophet, but they quickly realized the only charge that would stick was related to Daniel’s well-known habit of prayer. Even after the officials tricked the king into making it illegal for Daniel to pray, Daniel still “got down on his knees, and prayed . . . just as he had done before” (Daniel 6:10). A consistent prayer life was essential for Daniel to experience God’s sustaining strength and peace (Psalm 29:11). It helped him to triumph over the forces seeking to destroy him. In the same way, establishing a regular time to meet with God in prayer and making it a daily priority can help cultivate our relationship with Him. During each difficulty we face, it’s His strength that will sustain us.

Michael couldn’t help laughing as Grace hid behind a menu. They were playing a game of hide-and-seek at the table in a café while waiting for the food. The five-year-old thought that if she couldn’t see her father, then he couldn’t see her. It seemed silly at the time, but as Michael reflected on the incident later, he realized it contained an important lesson: Do we believe we can hide our sins from God? Do we think that if we can’t see Him, then He can’t see us? In Amos 9, this same point is made when God, speaking through the prophet, warns Israel not to think they can escape judgment for their sins. “Though they hide themselves . . . I will hunt them down.” He said, “I will keep my eye on them” (vv. 3-4). Nothing escapes the eyes of the all-seeing, all-knowing God. But the warning also came with a message of hope. In verses 11-15, God promises restoration: “I will restore David’s fallen shelter—I will repair its broken walls” (v. 11). After suffering the consequences of their sin, God’s people would be restored and given bountiful blessings (vv. 13-15). Just as God sees our failings, He also sees our repentance, and He is ready to forgive and restore. As we draw comfort from this truth, let’s hold on tightly to the holy and righteous God who is full of mercy and grace.

Professional boxer Jim Braddock was known as someone who fought not for riches and fame, but to put food on the table for his family. The movie Cinderella Man chronicles his fairytale-like comeback from a past-his-prime boxer to the world heavyweight champion. While facing extreme poverty during the Great Depression, Jim repeatedly sacrifices his own resources, health, and pride to provide for his children. He’s never intimidated by an opponent and courageously endures pummeling in the ring to keep his family safe. Jim’s legacy is one of passionate defense of his family. We too, have a passionate defender who has promised to take our place in the ring. When the Israelites faced Pharaoh’s mighty army after their escape from slavery in Egypt, they were terrified and cried out to God. “It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than die in the desert!” they foolishly said (Exodus 14:12). But Moses replied in faith: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (v. 14). And without any action from the Israelites, their enemies were literally swept away by the sea as God supernaturally ended the battle before it even began. Sometimes it feels like we’re facing the trials of life or arrows from the enemy, Satan, on our own. But God has promised never to leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). He fights for us; we need only to be still.

A recent photography contest featured images created by artificial intelligence (AI). People from around the world submitted pictures they had fabricated by AI text prompts on computers. Only AI-generated images were allowed. One winner was a surreal depiction: against a sandy landscape, something that looked like a pink flamingo curled into a feathery ball. There was only one problem. The winning image was a real photograph of a real flamingo. The photographer had entered an authentic photo in an AI-contest. His picture, “Flamingone,” was disqualified. That’s right—the authentic photo was rejected for being the real thing. The prophet Isaiah vividly foretells a similar irony about the trial and crucifixion of Jesus Christ: “He was led like a lamb to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7). Christ was taken to court for claiming to be the Jewish Messiah. Yet he did not offer a defense: “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth” (v. 7). Isaiah points to the ultimate contradiction: “He was despised and rejected by mankind” (v. 3). That’s right—the authentic Messiah, the true Son of God, was rejected as being fake. Today, you and I are judges in that court of decision. Do we accept Jesus as the authentic Son of God? Or do we reject Him as something less? Even if we believe in Him, does our daily living sometimes reject Him as the real deal?

Of all United States presidents, Jimmy Carter had the longest marriage. He and his wife Rosalyn were married for seventy-seven years. When Carter was asked the secret to his long, successful marriage, he replied, “Choose the right person to marry.” Beyond that, he named three other concepts for marital success: reconciliation, communication, and devotion to faith. We see the idea of reconciliation in Ephesians 4:26: “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.” The Carters took this seriously. “Every night, we try to make sure we’re completely reconciled from all the arguments during the day,” Jimmy once said. We can see the secret to Christlike communication in Ephesians 4. Paul wrote, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (v. 32). God ordained marriage as something good—something established by Him (Genesis 2:24; Hebrews 13:4). Proverbs 18:22 says that marriage is a divine blessing: “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.” And the way we treat one another, in marriage and in the entire body of Christ, can encourage and positively affect others. Whether we’re single or married, our words and actions can truly reflect the loving, forgiving heart of Christ.

On a Thursday, just before lunch, the pastor passionately reminded the seventy senior saints gathered in his church’s cinder block auditorium about the promise of their resurrection. Meanwhile, in the fellowship hall sandwiches and watermelon slices were set out, waiting to be consumed by mourners sitting on metal folding chairs placed on stained carpet. It was a perfectly normal funeral, except for the preacher. He was a well-known speaker who has preached to stadiums full of thousands. Now he was speaking just as enthusiastically to this weekday gathering. Paul told his protégé, Timothy, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season . . . . discharge all the duties of your ministry” (4:2–5). All the duties. Not only the big ones performed on large stages with bright lights. Also ordinary, weekday duties. The speeches that won’t be recorded and broadcast for generations to come. The tasks that few will see. Do those well too. Because Someone is watching. Paul told Timothy he was serving “in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead” (4:1). Your platform may be small, but your audience could not be more important. Jesus waits expectantly for your service. Do it for Him, relying on the power of His Spirit. He will be honored as you humbly, faithfully minister to others.

In the dimly lit restaurant, our waitress quietly took our orders with a solemn expression. But then a customer kindly gave her a writing pen that had a little flashlight built into it. He told her it was so she could “see in the dark.” Her face lit up and her demeanor changed to reflect joy. It was evident that she as delighted by the gift—clicking the light off and on. When she left our tables, the man smiled as he whispered to me: “I think she brightened up when I gave her the pen. It made her day!” The God-given gift of light certainly brightens our days. Jesus is the ultimate gift of light—“Light . . . come into the world” to save the world (John 3:16-19). God provided this Gift because He loves us and wants to be in relationship with us. When we receive Christ as our Savior, our sins are forgiven, and we experience fellowship with Him. Jesus brightens our lives for all eternity. He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). As believers in Jesus, we’re also to be “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). When we receive the gift God gave us through Christ, we walk in His light and “shine [our] light before others” (v. 16). As He helps us, let’s shine for Him today!

As a landscape photographer, I’m drawn to photos I find online. Recently I came across “10 of the Most Breathtaking Places in the U.S.” A photo of a geothermal spring depicts a massive basin of multi-colored luminescence. A snapshot of the Hoh Rain Forest shows a dense mossy forest that looks like something straight out of “The Hobbit.” A stunning picture taken in Monument Valley, Arizona, could be a panorama of Mars. These awesome images make me think of our awesome God. In Psalm 68, David gushes about God’s majesty: “Sing to God . . . extol him who rides on the clouds” (v. 4). Vividly, the psalmist proclaims God’s power over enemies: “May you blow them away like smoke” (v. 2). Yet God’s sheer majesty and power are contrasted with His intimate love: “Praise be to the Lord . . . who daily bears our burdens” (v. 19). David’s epic psalm reaches a climax with his breathless praise: “You, God, are awesome” (v. 35). In landscape photographs, I find both immensity and intimacy. The sheer expanse of these vistas speaks personally to my soul. It makes me wonder if the landscapes of our world are really glimpses of God Himself— reflections of how He’s both awesomely immense and breathtakingly loving. In that light, maybe today we might look for His reflected beauty around us. Maybe today we might whisper to Him, “You, God, are awesome.”

All summer long, the children in the house behind ours spend hours swinging on their swing set. Their noisy swing set. Its creaky noise doesn’t bother the children who seem, some days, to swing endlessly. Complaining, I asked my husband why their parents don’t oil the swing. Praying about it, however, I noticed a change in my heart. I could see the children’s laughter and joy bursting from the trust they find in their family’s yard, and in having parents within calling distance nearby. Jesus spoke of such trust when speaking of children. People were bringing their children to Jesus so He could bless them, but His annoyed disciples scolded the parents, rebuking them (Mark 10:13). Seeing this, Jesus “was indignant” (v. 14). “Let the little children come to me,” He told them, “and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” He added, “Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it” (vv. 14-15). He’d already taught His disciples this when they’d argued who among them was greatest. Taking a child in His arms, He said, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me” (9:37). Demonstrating the same idea, “He took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them” (10:16). What beautiful reminders to be childlike in our trust in Jesus.

“What a cruel act to be untruthful,” German theologian and monk Meister Eckhart once wrote in a poem that contrasts relationships built on trust and honesty with those damaged by lies. He described truthful, loving words as “wonderful spices mixed into the days.” But lies, he emphasized, are like earthquakes in the mind and poison to the soul: “Havoc is created in the mind that can no longer trust someone once loved . . . . a plague is spread by one who cannot tell the truth.” The imagery of a plague spread by falsehoods might seem stark. But to take speech seriously resonates with how our words and their impact are described throughout Scripture. When Paul describes to new believers the difference between life before and after their union with Jesus, words take center stage. “Do not lie to each other,” the apostle emphasizes, “since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self” (Colossians 3:9-10). There are many reasons to be tempted to lie or distort the truth. Sometimes we might think it’s the best way to protect ourselves or others. But through Christ’s love, through His Spirit at work in our hearts, we learn a different way—one transformed by “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (3:12). And we learn how forgiveness and love can create the kind of trust and peace that brings rest to our souls (v. 15).

According to research, Gen Z can detect a false compliment from a mile away. While the intention might be kindness, the members of that generation value something deeper: genuine respect and honesty. Not looking to be flattered, they want to be believed in. When truth is spoken, they feel respected, taken seriously, and are challenged to grow. But this is likely true for most of us. Psalm 141:5 gives voice to this wisdom. David wrote, “Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness; let him rebuke me.” In his prayer to God, he asked that he would welcome loving wounds from friends as kindness (v. 2; see also Proverbs 27:6). David was intimating that real love doesn’t dodge difficult conversations. It tells the truth, not to shame people, but to help be drawn to God and not “be drawn to what is evil” (Psalm 141:4). This passage reminded David’s listeners that wise, truthful feedback isn’t about tearing others down but building them up. Let’s not fear receiving correction from the right sources, and let’s not shy away from offering it either. We don’t need more sugar-coated words. We need people who are willing to speak the truth in love. Sometimes, the words that sting the most are the ones that build us, heal us, and help us become who God made us to be.

Branden’s father was dying of cancer in his fifties. Wanting to help, Branden talked his parents into moving in with him so he could assist them. His dad loved the tropics but could no longer travel, so Branden got creative. He landscaped a pond behind his house, stocked it with fish, and installed a waterfall that tumbled over rocks. He trucked in three loads of beach sand, added banana trees, lights, and tiki torches, and built an awning for shade. His dad spent his last days enjoying a backyard island paradise. Branden’s actions reflect the kind of harmony between parents and children envisioned in Exodus 20. There, God through Moses instructed the children of Israel: “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12). That directive grows out of the commands to love and respect our heavenly Father (vv. 3-8) and bridges to the last five commands, which instruct us how to love and respect our fellow human beings. Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t covet (vv. 12-17). Honoring parents might come easily for some. For others, it’s extremely difficult. There’s too much pain and distrust. Old wounds refuse to heal. We can commit it to God our Father, who understands that pain. He enables us to live in His love.

One April afternoon, millions gathered along a mapped arc across Mexico and the United States to witness a rare total solar eclipse. Schools released children, small towns blossomed to receive travelers, neighbors set up lawn chairs in driveways donning protective glasses to take in the wonder. As television crews documented the countdown to “totality,” the crowd grew silent except for one repeated phrase: “Oh my God!” That struck me. I don’t know for certain why those observers chose that phrase in that moment, but I suspect that as mortals encountered the rare and the astonishing, they seemed to need Someone to acknowledge. Someone to thank. Someone to worship. When we look heavenward, our response is awe. As David wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1). Luke, the historian, reports Jesus’ last minutes on the cross. “It was about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining” (23:44-45). Matthew shares a response to this revelation. “When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, ‘Surely he was the Son of God!’ ” (Matthew 27:54). They couldn’t help but acknowledge God as the Someone worthy of worship. In humble awe, I worship You—my God.

I’ve heard it said, “We can’t make our children believe. We can only give our children reason to believe what we believe.” That’s a wise observation—but how do we do it? Of all people to take parenting advice from, the apostle Paul is seldom the first choice. It’s likely that he had no children. Parents prefer to hear from someone who’s been-there-done-that, someone who knows about sleepless infants, the storms of puberty, and how it feels to pray for a prodigal. Yet Paul has something to teach us here. Paul had been on his way to persecute Christians when Christ intervened. Paul fell to the ground, blinded (Acts 9:1-9). Soon he was visited by Ananias who restored his sight and explained his mission: “The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard” (22:14-15). Paul did witness, and God gave him a quiver-full of spiritual offspring. His “parenting approach” was to share what he’d seen, and to pray. Whether parenting our own children or interacting with others, we can’t make them believe. Rather, we witness with our words and lives as to what we’ve seen and heard. And we pray. Our God, who sent Paul to the gentiles, sends us with the same instruction: witness so they may believe. Then entrust them to our Father who loves them.

My friend José was in hospice care, dying. He’d been alert and talkative during my prior visit but a week later was now frail and speechless. I sat with José and his family anyway, hoping my presence would mean something to them. At the end of what would be my final visit, I was the last one in the room with him. I finally stood and slowly headed to the door but stopped and turned around one last time to say, “Love you,” not expecting a response. There I saw José moving his lips. He was mouthing the words “love you” in return. A person’s parting words can leave a lasting impression. As Jesus was getting ready to return to His Father in heaven after His sacrificial death and resurrection, He assured His disciples that all authority on heaven and earth belonged to Him (Matthew 28:18). And He left them with this lasting charge or Great Commission, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (vv. 19-20). Christ also assured His followers that He would always be with them (v. 20). Jesus’ parting words are for us today, too. May we embrace His call to tell others about Him so they can experience His love and forgiveness, live for Him, and enjoy eternal life with Him in heaven. His message is too good not to share with people of all nations.

I recently traveled to Los Angeles and had to rent a car. Soon, I was driving through narrow downtown lanes, full of traffic and people. I found myself driving very carefully, slower than normal. Why? Well, I didn’t want to have an accident. But I really didn’t want to damage my rental car. It wasn’t mine, after all. I was just, well, borrowing it. Most of the time, we’d rather be owners than renters. But, as I drove, I couldn’t help but think that renting that car illustrated something important about my relationship to God. Scripture teaches that even our bodies—which we might think we own—don’t belong to us. In a larger conversation about sexual sin in 1 Corinthians 6, Paul concludes, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies” (vv. 19-20). I’ll admit, it’s hard to completely comprehend that my body is not my own. Still, God calls us to honor Him with it. To care for our bodies. To realize that we are stewards—renters, if you will—of these vessels He’s given us, that we might use them to honor and serve the One whose own broken body and blood saved us.