Equal with God

Equal with God

The word equal means being the same in value, importance, or status as someone else.

I still remember my older son asking why we seemed to be easier on his younger brother than we had been on him. His question reminded me of my own childhood, when I asked my mother something similar about my sister.

Like many siblings, we compared the way we were treated. We assumed that because we belonged to the same family, we should always receive exactly the same treatment. But we overlooked an important truth: although we were siblings, we had different personalities, made different choices, and faced different challenges. We each responded to life according to our own desires and motivations.

The Bible presents a relationship that is truly equal in nature and perfectly united in purpose.

Jesus once said, "My Father is always at work, and I am working too." By calling God His Father in this way, He was claiming to share God's very nature and authority. The religious leaders understood exactly what He meant, and His claim led to fierce opposition. 

Yet Jesus also explained that He did only what He saw His Father doing. The Father loved the Son, and the Son loved the Father. They were never in competition with one another. Instead, they were perfectly united in purpose. Everything Jesus did reflected the Father's character and His will.

Our comparisons with others are very different. They often begin with self—our desires, our expectations, and our sense of what is fair. We are far from being united in character and purpose with the people around us.

If there is one way in which we are all truly equal, it is that none of us lives up to God's perfect standard. We all fall short. No one is better than anyone else in that respect.

The good news is that God does not leave us there. He invites us to look to Jesus—not only as our Savior, but also as our example. As we learn from Him, our hearts begin to change. Instead of insisting on our own way, we can begin to pray as Jesus prayed: "Not my will, but Yours be done." That is the mind of Christ—a heart that delights to do the Father's will rather than its own.

Actions That Match What You Say

Actions That Match What You Say

Growing up, I often heard the expression, “Do as I say, not as I do.” For many years, it sounded like nothing more than a common saying, but as time passed, I began to understand the sorrow hidden within those words. How easy it is to know what is right and yet fail to live accordingly. We can speak truth, offer wise advice, and point others in the right direction, while our own hearts remain untouched by the very things we proclaim. 

Perhaps this contradiction is more common than we would like to admit. There are corners of our hearts where truth has settled in our minds but has never truly taken root. We can learn Scripture, discuss theology, and even encourage others in their walk with God, all while harboring areas of pride, fear, and unbelief. Outwardly, everything appears to be in order, but then God, in His mercy, allows circumstances to expose what has long remained hidden.

And when that moment comes, we are confronted with ourselves. The knowledge we once carried so confidently is tested, and we discover whether it has merely informed our minds or transformed our hearts. It is a painful realization to recognize our own hypocrisy, yet such moments are gifts of grace, for they invite us to return to the Lord with humility and examine the foundation of our faith.

In John’s Gospel, we encounter a royal official from Capernaum who travels to Galilee seeking Jesus. He does not come clothed in authority or position, but in desperation—as a father pleading for the life of his dying son. He walks nearly twenty miles with a burden no parent would ever wish to bear, hoping that Jesus will come and heal his child.

Jesus answers him with words that search the depths of the heart: “Unless you see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” 

We are left to wonder: What brought this man to Jesus? Was it genuine faith, or merely the reports he had heard about the first miracle? Did he come because he knew who Jesus was, or because he hoped that Jesus might solve his problem? Perhaps the answer lies somewhere in between, much like our own journeys of faith.

Yet the father persists. He begs Jesus to come before his son dies. But Jesus does not accompany him. Instead, He gives him something far more difficult than a visible miracle: a promise.

“Go; your son lives.”

Scripture tells us something remarkable: “The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.”

He believed—and he went.

That small word, and, reveals something profound. Faith is not simply agreeing with God’s words; it is walking in obedience when the outcome is still unseen. It is taking the next step when questions remain unanswered. It is trusting Christ’s voice more than our own fears.

I often wonder what that journey back to Capernaum must have been like. Did doubts creep into his mind? Did he question whether he had misunderstood Jesus? Did hope and fear wrestle within him as he walked? We are not told. What we do know is that he continued on his way, holding fast to the promise he had received.

And before he reached home, his servants came to meet him with joyful news: his son was alive and well.

How often the Lord calls us to walk before He allows us to see. We long for certainty, explanations, and immediate answers, but God frequently asks us to trust His word first. The royal official received the miracle only after he had chosen to believe.

Our lives are no different. It is easy to say that we trust God when everything is going well, but true faith is revealed in the choices we make when His plans remain hidden from us. Faith must move beyond our lips and shape the way we live. Our actions testify to what we truly believe.

The story of this royal official reminds us that faith is more than knowledge about Jesus—it is surrender to Jesus. It is allowing His truth to descend from our minds into our hearts, transforming not only what we say, but also how we walk.

May we not be content with a faith that speaks eloquently yet remains distant from obedience. Instead, may we hear the words of Christ, believe them, and go on our way, resting in the One who is always faithful.

Weary but Focused

When I had my first son, I quickly realized that everything I had read about motherhood had not fully prepared me for the reality of it. During the first few months of his life—and my new life as a mother—I woke nearly every two hours throughout the night to breastfeed him. I was exhausted, yet I never missed one of his cries.

Although my body longed for a full night's sleep, my mind kept reminding me, *He needs you.* So I would get up, take him into my arms, comfort him, and nurse him. The joy of seeing his little face was enough to give me the strength to keep going. I was weary, but I was also deeply satisfied to have my baby in my arms.

As I was reading John 4, the well-known account of the Samaritan woman at the well, I saw an even greater example of selfless devotion. Jesus arrived at Jacob's well in the town of Sychar after a journey that likely took three or four days on foot. He was tired, thirsty, and hungry. While He rested at the well, His disciples went into the town to buy food. It was then that the Samaritan woman came to draw water. 

Their conversation crossed the cultural barriers of the day regarding gender, ethnicity, and religion. As Jesus gently revealed both His knowledge of her life and His identity as the Messiah, her eyes were opened to the truth. She immediately left her water jar, hurried back to the town, and told everyone about the Man she had met.

Meanwhile, the disciples returned with food, urging Jesus to eat. Yet He replied, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about" (John 4:32). He explained that doing His Father's will was more satisfying than food itself. Even in His physical exhaustion, hunger, and thirst, Jesus remained focused on the work His Father had given Him to do.

Then He pointed to the people coming toward Him and said, *"Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest"* (John 4:35, KJV). The harvest of souls was ready. There was no time to waste. 

Jesus is the perfect example of placing others before Himself and submitting His physical needs to the will of the Father. His priorities challenge us to examine our own. Are we so focused on God's purposes that we are willing to persevere, even when we are tired, inconvenienced, or weary?

Motherhood taught me that love often requires sacrifice. Jesus showed that the greatest expression of love is joyful obedience to the Father's will. He never allowed weariness to distract Him from His mission, and because of His faithfulness, countless lives—including ours—have been transformed.

May we follow His example and remember the encouragement found in Galatians 6:9:

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

He MUST increase

 He Must Increase

We live in a society where knowledge is available at our fingertips anytime, anywhere. Yet, fewer people seem willing to invest the time and effort to truly learn. Instead, we entertain ourselves by endlessly scrolling through our phones, searching for the newest trend or the next viral sensation. 

Selfies, influencers, YouTubers, and countless ways of promoting ourselves have become the norm. Children no longer dream primarily of becoming police officers, doctors, firefighters, or teachers. Many now aspire to be YouTubers, gamers, TikTok creators, or internet celebrities. Often, it doesn't even matter why they become famous. It could be a silly facial expression, a staged fall, singing like a cartoon character, or any number of fleeting trends. A 30-second video can change someone's life, and for many, that kind of popularity has become the ultimate goal.

Even doing good is rarely anonymous anymore. We often see people broadcasting their acts of kindness online, pretending to be surprised by the attention they receive. Fake smiles, beauty filters, cruel pranks, bullying recorded instead of stopped, and a growing lack of genuine care and empathy have become increasingly common. How have we become so superficial and vain? Everyone wants to be seen.

In striking contrast to today's culture, John the Baptist demonstrated a mindset rooted in humility and a clear understanding that he was never meant to be the center of attention. When his disciples expressed concern that Jesus was gaining more followers than he was, perhaps expecting jealousy or disappointment, John simply replied, "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30)

John understood that he was only the messenger, the one sent to point others to the Savior. His purpose was not to draw attention to himself but to proclaim the One who came from heaven. He intentionally stepped out of the spotlight so that people would see Jesus instead of him. It did not matter that he was losing followers or baptizing fewer people. His joy was found in hearing the Bridegroom's voice and seeing Christ glorified.

What a powerful example for us today. 

May we choose humility over recognition and faithfulness over popularity. May we learn to do good without seeking applause and to serve without craving attention. Each day, let us decrease by loving Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and by loving our neighbors as ourselves. As we do, Christ will become more visible in our lives until people see less of us and more of Him.

He must increase in us.