The phrase “paying your respects” originated as a 17th-century idiom, meaning a courteous visit to acknowledge someone’s skills, qualities, or achievements. Over time, the meaning shifted, and today it commonly refers to honoring someone at a funeral.

In modern contexts, we spend time with the bereaved family, sharing how much we respect and admire the person who passed away. It’s a way to show how deeply that individual impacted our lives.

However, there’s an issue with reserving this expression for after someone’s passing. If you truly admire or respect someone, why wait until they are gone to express it? While the family may appreciate hearing about their loved one, the person themselves would have cherished hearing it while they were still alive.

Perhaps today is the perfect time to “pay your respects” to someone who matters to you.

The article declared that if you have a messy office, then you are a person who prefers to defer decisions. While I was reading it, I looked around my office at the mess surrounding me. Then I thought, “That is not true, not even a little bit.”

My office is currently messy because May is a hectic month. With Easter falling later in April and all the activities that I am juggling, I have had little time to maintain my office.

This has me thinking about how we view people. Often, we see a snapshot of their life and begin to draw conclusions that are simply not true. In fact, they might actually indicate that something in their life is unstable at the moment.

As Christians, we need to be extremely careful about the labels we put on people, the conclusions we draw, and the way we view others based on limited experience. Sure, many people do fit into nice little categories, but others do not. You will only know when you spend time getting to know them. Then, you might see another side of that person you never knew existed.

Everyone you invite to Church for the first time has an excuse for not attending. They can give you at least one reason they do not want to go with you.

Since that is true, one of my goals as a Church leader is to try to eliminate excuses.

The place I park and where I encourage our staff and leaders to park is a way to open spaces for guests near the building.

The greeters by the door, the look of the inside of the building, and the coffee we offer are there to make people feel welcome.

The worship plan, songs picked, videos shared, and things said from the stage by the worship team will be encouraging without “insider” language.

The children’s program is fun and educational, and it helps parents relax as their children enter a secure and enjoyable environment.

The sermon I deliver will be adequately prepared, with illustrations and applications, to help people understand the Bible and what it means for their lives.

Everything our Church tries to do on Sunday morning is designed to help non-Christians eliminate excuses for not coming.

Now, does that mean they are guaranteed to return? Nope. I wish it did; I really wish it did.

All it does is open the door for them to hear the message of Jesus without any distractions. We can have great worship and an applicable sermon, and people may be turned off to Jesus by other things when they attend. I make it a goal to remove all those obstacles and excuses so that the word of God can do its work. People can accept it or reject it, but we do not do anything to stand in their way of hearing it.

I typically avoid writing about my family to preserve their privacy, but today marks a milestone too significant to pass without recognition. My beloved mother is turning 90 years old.

Born and raised on an Indiana farm, she has never called any other state home. She devoted herself to one man throughout her life until his passing a few years ago. In our family, she has always been the silent saint; her life centered around her faith in the Lord, her church community, and her children.

Like anyone who has walked this earth for nine decades, she has weathered her share of storms. She has known the full spectrum of human experience, from profound love and devastating loss to immeasurable joy and deep sorrow. Yet through every season, her unwavering commitment to Jesus has remained her anchor. I cannot recall a single moment when her faith faltered. She continues to attend worship services faithfully, studies her Bible daily, maintains a vibrant prayer life, and cherishes time with her church card club and seniors’ group.

She may never receive worldly accolades for her accomplishments, but I have no doubt that an eternal reward awaits her in heaven. In the meantime, I’m profoundly grateful that God continues to bless me with her presence. Our weekly conversations are a treasure as she listens patiently to my mundane stories and never fails to ask about her grandsons.

My mother possesses neither wealth nor fame, but her steadfast dedication to her spouse, family, Church, and the Lord has shown me a priceless legacy of faith. Today, my heart overflows with gratitude for this remarkable woman and the countless ways she has enriched my life.

Happy Birthday, Mom.

The use of comparison is essential to the gospel message.

“It’s like …”

“Think about it this way …”

“Here is an illustration of that …”

“Imagine with me …”

These might appear to add very little value to our understanding of the work of Jesus, but in reality, they are how we come to know what it means for us.

It’s like a law court, where a verdict of guilty is handed down. That’s justification.

Think about Jesus’ work like the sacrificial system of the Old Testament. Jesus is the lamb.

One illustration of freedom is paying a ransom so that a prisoner can go free. That is Redemption.

Imagine that God is like a father who has two sons. That is grace.

One beneficial practice in sharing your faith in Jesus with others is to share not only Biblical stories but also practical analogies. Find stories and concepts that will resonate with the person to whom you are speaking and use them to bring clarity. Often, the best way to bring understanding is through comparing something people already know. Many people have come to know Jesus with a conversation that started with, “It’s like …”  

Recently, I saw videos of some young people who grew up attending our Church along with our Youth Group on Wednesday night. Neither of them was overly talkative at any function, nor were they serving on a regular basis.

These people might have slipped out of my life into the unknown had it not been for the fact that their parents still attend the Church I lead. As a result, I still have some contact with them.

In the videos, I witnessed the story of one of them going on a mission trip and another placing his faith in Jesus Christ in baptism. My heart was filled with joy as I listened to the stories of a couple of young people pursuing God’s will for their lives in the years after they left our Church community.

This whole experience reminded me that we have no idea what happens with the seed of the gospel that we plant in people’s lives. Sometimes, it takes off and grows in ways that we can see almost immediately. Other times, it takes years before that tiny seed finally germinates and begins to grow.

As a Christian, Church leader, ministry team member, or whatever capacity you serve Jesus, know that you will never know on this side of heaven the good you will do for the sake of the kingdom of God. Keep planting. Keep watering. Only God knows what will happen through your efforts.

A cult is any group of people who have a total devotion to their leader.

Any Pastor who encourages you to cut off contact with Christians outside of their Church has the earmarks of a cult.

If a Church leader encourages its members to avoid what other Churches are doing, including concerts, vacation Bible schools, youth groups, and ministries that serve others, they are leaning toward cult-like behavior.

Religious communities thrive on connection and openness, but sometimes, leadership can foster concerning patterns. True spiritual communities encourage growth through diverse relationships and experiences.

Some people are believers in Jesus, but they make the way of Jesus look more like a cult than a community. They push isolation and exclusivity on their people. They seem to be more interested in control than connection. They are not a cult, but they are certainly cult-ish.

Not everything that wears the name of Jesus is from God.

I wrote my post. I reread it and edited it. I was sure it was perfect.

Then I ran it through my software program, Grammarly, and it highlighted three issues I had missed. 

Next, I put it into my WordPress app so that I could publish the post. It will underline statements and provide suggestions on how to improve my writing to make it clearer. This time, it made two more recommendations on the post.

My idea of doing something well may actually be far from perfect. This is true in writing and life.

It does not require me to yell with intensity.  

It does not mean I have to criticize people.

It does not include me complaining about some people’s commitment.

Proclaiming the gospel truth is to shine a light into the darkness. We don’t need to yell, criticize, or complain away the darkness. We need to hold up the truth for all to see, and what lies in the darkness will be revealed.

I was young and inexperienced. Honestly, I had never thought through most of the questions he was asking. His theological background was far different than mine. He had clearly been taught to attack other people, and I was only focused on learning the Bible.

When the meeting was over, I felt embarrassed and ashamed that I didn’t have better answers. For a few days, I had considered quitting. I had let my people down, and worse, I had let myself down. How could I be so stupid?

Finally, I raised my head and tried to move forward. But that day humbled me. I realized I didn’t know as much as I thought I did. There was a new conviction to learn more, read more, ask more questions, and be a better leader.

I have matured greatly as a Christian and a leader since that day, but I will never forget the lessons I learned. Humility, curiosity, and a desire to learn became the cornerstones of my life and ministry.

Every one of us will lose an argument one day about something vital to them. How you respond to that loss can either mess you up and cause you to quit, or it could also spur you to growth and renewed commitment. Honestly, it doesn’t matter if you win or lose; what happens afterward shapes your future.