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Richard Lawry author page - Devotionals from a Small Town, 3008 Highway 71 South, Mena, AR (2025)

11/26/2025

Today's devotional. National Park Radio, tells about one of my favorite bands. It is Chapter 49 in my book, Love Letters.

As we drove up Hwy 7 towards Jasper, lush green fields changed to forest as the road became crooked and steep. Occasionally we could glimpse a view of the valleys below as the road climbed to the top of a ridge. I love the "mountains of Arkansas," even if they aren't tall and majestic like the Rocky Mountains.

Vance Randolph, who spent his life collecting, recording, and writing about Ozark life and folklore, once said about this area, "It's not that the mountains are so high but that the valleys are so deep." As we stopped to take in the views of the Arkansas Grand Canyon just a few miles from Jasper, I had to agree with Randolph. It may not be as deep as the one out West, but the canyon here in Arkansas has some truly breathtaking views.

We were on our way to Harrison to attend National Park Radio's album release concert for their new album, Canyons. As I looked out over the canyon from the Cliff House Inn, I thought about the beauty of Arkansas and how I sometimes compared it unfavorably to the Rocky Mountains I had grown up with in Colorado. National Park Radio's singer/songwriter Stefan Szabo wrote about those feelings in his song "Wander." Each year, the band tours out West during the summer because they love the majestic scenery there. But after returning home to Arkansas from a tour, Stefan wrote these words that I can relate to.

"Through the wild, we wander. You can find us there—sounds of distant thunder in the mountain air. Now behold the beauty high above the trees. Golden light reflecting from the snow-capped peaks. Oh, I don't know where I belong, but here I am." The final verse of the song tells the story of returning home. "Headed south from Jackson back to Arkansas. Now those Ozark mountains didn't seem so tall. But I can see the beauty of this place called home. Full of love and family and the Buffalo. Now I know where I belong. And here I am."

Like Stefan, I love traveling and seeing America's wonderfully varied landscapes. Still, when I come home to Arkansas, I realize that I live in one of the most beautiful places in the U.S. Our trip to Harrison and the Buffalo River area reinforced my belief that the Ouachitas and the Ozarks are as beautiful as anything the rest of the country has to offer.

I first heard National Park Radio when they headlined the Lum and Abner Days Festival in 2018. We planned to attend the band's concert at Steel Creek Campground on the Buffalo River the following year. We arrived at the campground early in the afternoon. So early that we were the first to set out our chairs in front of the stage. We spent the afternoon swimming in the Buffalo River and picnicking while taking in the incredible scenic beauty of the area. When the first strains of music filled the air, the audience cheered as they settled down to watch the band play with the beautiful bluffs above the Buffalo River in the background.

It had been four years since the concert at Steel Creek, and I was excited to hear National Park Radio again. The band has changed with the changes that Covid brought to the live music industry. They no longer tour with a full band but as a husband-and-wife duo. When Kerrie and Stefan took the stage and began playing, It was as if they were old friends playing a few songs for you in your living room.

The concert was terrific, and Kerrie and Stefan told stories about the music and their lives. I loved every song, but as the show ended, they had not played one of my favorites, "Mighty Mountains." The song has been meaningful to me since I first heard them play, and I was just a bit disappointed. When they returned for the encore, Stefan began a driving beat on his suitcase kick drum, then Kerrie started singing, "I'm gonna fight 'em all. A seven-nation army couldn't hold me back." Everyone in the audience seemed surprised to hear a White Stripes cover, as National Park Radio rarely sings covers.

As the last strains of Seven Nation Army faded and I assumed the concert was over, Stefan immediately transitioned into another song. "When I was only seventeen, I found myself caught in between what you could say was life and fantasy." A smile spread across my face as I listened to Mighty Mountains. The song's message has resonated with me from the first time I heard it at Lum and Abner Days.

The song reminded me of times when I have been too easily discouraged. In the song, Stefan writes, "That crooked road seemed all too steep. It stretched beyond what I could see." But the song is not about giving in to life's problems. It is about a positive outlook and the determination not to let life pass you by. The music continues, "But at last I saw the future; Every moment that could be. Oh, I found that life was waiting there for me. Only for a moment, I'd forgotten why we came. Not unlike my father, mighty mountains call my name. Oh, the explanations and excuses we could find. But unlike my father, those mighty mountains I will climb."

We are all faced with mountains. Sometimes there are mountains of discouragement. Sometimes there are mountains of hopes, dreams, and aspirations. We often have "explanations and excuses" for why we can't climb those mountains. But God says that you can. In Psalm 18:33 (NLT), David says, "He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights."

The last verse of the song is powerful. "It's strength we find when we are weak. It's faith that moves the tallest peak. And love that lasts for long after we're gone. But few can truly know the cost. And all who wander are not lost. For love will lead the tired and troubled home. 'Cause, at last, I see the future. Every moment that can be. And I've found that life is waiting here for me."

Gentle Reader, Don't miss out on God's blessings for you because you are too timid to attempt to climb mighty mountains. If you never climb the mountain, you will never be able to see the mountaintop view. God says, "Do not be afraid. I am with you. Do not be terrified. I am your God. I will make you strong and help you." Isaiah 41:10 (NIRV) He wants to climb mighty mountains with you.

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11/25/2025

Today's devotional, Hit and Miss, talks about my fascination with old stationary engines. It is Chapter 52 in my book Quiet Reflections.

The baby blue sky and the sun's warmth pushing away the cool of the morning lifted my spirits. The cold, damp, dismal weather of the previous day was a thing of the past as I looked forward to the promise of spring. "Today will be awesome," I thought as I prepared for our outing to the Jonquil Festival in Old Washington.

As we drove south out of the Ouachita's into the flat land of Southern Arkansas, the changes were noticeable. The pastures and roadsides were green, and many homes along the road had patches of bright yellow daffodils. Spring was already making its mark, with the white blossoms of wild plum and serviceberry trees dotting the landscape. The soft glow of green-tinged trees promised the glory of rebirth as their buds opened and tiny new leaves unfurled.

When we reached Old Washington, traffic came to a standstill. Thousands of people had converged on the small town. Vendors had set up booths around the old courthouse, and people crowded into the area. After looking around the festival area, we headed into the old part of town, where jonquils seemed to fill every yard. Each bloom seemed to be lifting its head to the heavens and trying to soak up the sun's rays.

Old tractors and collector cars filled an open field a few blocks from the courthouse. As I was walking around looking at the vehicles, I heard "PUTT whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh PUTT whoosh whoosh whoosh PUTT." The sound was coming from an engine, but it was bizarre. There was no definite rhythm to the sound. I investigated and found a row of trailers with antique stationary engines on them. The unusual sounds they made were the result of their design. The engine fires and then coasts until the speed decreases, and it needs to fire again to maintain its average speed.

These are called hit-and-miss engines because they don't fire or "hit" on every rotation. They misfire by design. When stationary engines were first designed in the late 1800s, the technical problem inventors needed to solve to make them usable was how to keep the engine running steadily under varying loads. Your foot on the gas pedal does that in your car, but a stationary engine needs automated speed control. The solution for most manufacturers was the centrifugal governor.

These machines use ingenious and complex governors developed to maintain a constant speed as the loads vary. Most hit-and-miss engines had a horizontal piston with two heavy flywheels connected to the ends of the crankshaft. If the motor was spinning at the desired speed, the exhaust valve was held open, and there was no compression and no engine firing, creating the "whoosh, whoosh, whoosh" sound as the piston idled back and forth, pushing air in and out of the cylinder through the open exhaust valve.

As the wheel's rotation slowed, the weight was drawn toward the center of the wheel, where it nudged a lever that closed the exhaust valve. The piston created a suction that opened the intake valve and drew in the fuel/air mixture with the exhaust valve shut. The engine emitted one loud "PUTT" as the power stroke spun the flywheel faster. The faster spin caused centrifugal force to move the weight toward the flywheel's rim again, which canceled firing until it slowed, the weight was drawn back down, and the cycle repeated. Under heavy load, it would fire on every other stroke. It would fire every sixth or eighth stroke when it was just idling.

The first engines appeared around 1890, but by the early 20th century, the number of manufacturers was in the hundreds. These engines cost up to 200 dollars, but almost every farm had one or two by 1910. Although called stationary, the machines were almost always mounted on iron-wheeled dollies that could be moved to different places on the farm. For the first time, mechanical power was available to the small-scale farm.

With these engines came a parade of new applications: feed grinders, corn shellers, wood saws, water pumps, and fodder cutters became available. Small, one-half horsepower engines powered washing machines, butter churns, and even ice cream makers, which were marketed specifically for the ladies. By the 1930s, hit-and-miss engines fell out of favor as lighter, more robust designs became available, and most farms had access to electricity.

Today, these engines are prized by collectors who lovingly restore them to perfect running order and show them at historical fairs and festivals like the one in Old Washington. People are fascinated by the ingeniously complicated mechanical works that are exposed to view. The piston, connecting rod, driveshaft, and flywheel are all open to view as they run. And that PUTT whoosh whoosh whoosh PUTT sound is so alluring.

Watching and listening to the engines running, I thought about hit-and-miss things in my life. One of those things is my relationship with God. I attempt to create routine and consistency in my life, but I often sacrifice my time with God for consistency in other areas. I have become a hit-and-miss Christian.

Jesus says, "Abide in Me, and I will abide in you. A branch cannot bear fruit if it is disconnected from the vine, and neither will you if you are not connected to Me." John 15:4 (VOICE) To abide is to continue in a place, remain stable, and be consistent. Abiding is simply spending time together, day in and day out. A relationship can't thrive when it is hit and miss.

Gentle Reader, consistency is the key to close relationships in our everyday lives and our spiritual lives. Find time to be alone. Set aside time to spend with God every day without distractions. James 4:8 (ICB) says, "Come near to God, and God will come near to you. You are sinners. So clean sin out of your lives. You are trying to follow God and the world simultaneously." Come near to God. Abide in Him. Don't try to follow God and the world at the same time. Don't be a hit-and-miss Christian.

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11/24/2025

Today's devotional, Tycho and the Solar Eclipse, tells the story of astronomer Tycho Brahe. It was published in the April 17, 2024, issue of The Polk County Pulse.

The young Danish boy waited in anticipation of the big event. An eclipse of the sun was predicted for August 21. Such a prediction seemed bold and miraculous to the 14-year-old student. But when Tycho witnessed the eclipse in 1560, he saw and believed. The fact that the event had been accurately predicted based on celestial observations profoundly impacted him. It inspired him to become an astronomer.

Tycho quickly realized that the science of astronomy could only progress if it had systematic, accurate, and, above all, nightly observations. He refined old instruments, built new ones, and spent the rest of his life assembling one of human history's most significant bodies of astronomical data.

Tycho Brahe was a friend of King Fredrik II of Denmark. The king gave Tycho an island and practically unlimited funds to design, build, and operate an observatory. Tycho made many observations of the stars. Over his lifetime, Tycho completed a star catalog providing the positions of 1000 stars. His observations, the most accurate possible before the invention of the telescope, included a comprehensive study of the solar system.

His work supported the idea that the Earth revolved around the Sun, which Copernicus had developed earlier. Tycho made his observations using a compass and a sextant. He invented many instruments that helped him with his work, which were copied and improved by other astronomers.

On November 11, 1572, he suddenly saw a new star in the constellation Cassiopeia, where no star was supposed to be. Tycho carefully observed the new star, brighter than Venus, and showed it was a fixed star beyond the Moon. This phenomenon, a supernova, was an unsettling discovery to the scientific world. They regarded the stars as perfect and unchanging. The news that a star could change as dramatically as the supernova described by Tycho and the Copernican theory that the Sun, not Earth, was the center of the universe shook their confidence in the immutable laws of Greek antiquity. The new information challenged the prevailing belief in how the universe was organized.

Tycho’s discovery of the new star in Cassiopeia in 1572 and his publication of his observations in De Nova Stella in 1573 marked his transformation from an unknown, to an astronomer with a European reputation. Tycho Brahe’s lifetime of observational data was used by his assistant, Johannes Kepler, to develop Kepler's laws of planetary motion. In his scientific works, Kepler described the orbits of planets around the Sun and helped sway scientific thought away from an Earth-centered universe.

Many people may think of scientists as stodgy academics, but Tycho Brahe’s flamboyant lifestyle would have made some of today's wild celebrities look like choirboys. His life ended with as much craziness and intrigue as the life he led.

At the age of 20, he lost part of his nose in a duel with another Danish nobleman. The duel started over a disagreement about a mathematical formula. The only solution they could devise was to try to kill each other. So the pair engaged in a drunken duel at night, in the dark. For the rest of his life, Tycho wore a prosthetic nose. His fake nose was made of copper, although he probably also had gold and silver noses for special occasions.

One day, Tycho saw a moose and instantly decided to get one. Since he was wealthy, he bought a pet moose. The moose liked him and would walk alongside him like a dog. It lived in the castle and joined in on Tycho’s parties. The moose would regularly get drunk with him. When people invited Tycho to a party, they also asked him to bring his pet moose. Unfortunately, the moose’s drinking was ultimately its undoing. It got drunk at one party and fell down a flight of stairs in the castle. That was the untimely end of the moose.

Tycho lived in a castle, keeping a rather unusual group of regular entertainers. He employed a little person called Jepp as his court jester. Tycho believed that Jepp possessed psychic powers and often consulted him on decisions. Jepp spent most dinners under the dining table.

But Tycho’s life seems almost mundane compared to his mysterious death. He died of a sudden bladder disease in 1601 while at a banquet in Prague. He was unable to urinate except in the smallest of quantities, and after eleven days of excruciating agony, he finally died. At least, that's the official story.

Before his death, Tycho wrote his own epitaph and summed up his life by saying, “He lived like a sage and died like a fool.” His final words were, "May I not seemed to have lived in vain."

Nobody likes to live their lives in vain. To live lives to the fullest, some people work hard to make money, build a successful career, and gain social status. Others focus on a happy family life. No matter what, people want to have a fulfilling life.

Anne Frank wrote in her diary, “I don't want to have lived in vain like most people. I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to everyone, even those I've never met. I want to go on living even after my death!”

God created our lives, so only when we restore a relationship with our Creator and His intended purpose for giving us life can we find a satisfying meaning to our existence. “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” I Corinthians 15:58 (NIV)
Sometimes, we all have days when we feel that our lives are in vain. You may think that your job is mundane. However, it's an opportunity to be God’s light in your workplace. Maybe you feel that you don’t make a difference as a homemaker or caregiver.

Author Stacey Pardoe writes, “As you rock your newborn, you are establishing a secure attachment that will be a foundation of strength for the rest of this little one’s life. You embody God’s love as you tend to an elderly loved one, a noisy room of preschoolers, or a cantankerous client. Additionally, your hidden work is shaping your heart. God is testing your faithfulness in the darkness of obscurity. He is examining your willingness to serve others without applause.”

Gentle Reader, “We don’t know the results of our efforts for the Lord, but in faith, we can trust that obedience is never in vain. In other words, there is no real failure, properly understood, when the Lord is on our side. Our labor for Him will never come up empty.” - Dr. Bradley Baurain

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11/23/2025

Today's devotional, Talasbuan Fäbod, tells the story of Tova and Mathias, a couple who live off-grid in Sweden. It is Chapter 51 in my book Gentle Reader.

Not far from the edge of the mountain, in Jämtland Sweden, lies Talasbuan fäbod. It stood empty for 80 years before Tova and Mathias decided to give new life to the old place.

There is no easy way to translate the Swedish word fäbod into English. It is a summer pasture for one or several homesteads’ livestock. A fäbod consisted of several simple buildings such as a dwelling-house, cattle shed, storage cabins, and a cooking cabin. Each building had a specific purpose. These buildings are simple log cabins for summer use only.

The use of a summer pasture is ancient; The practice goes back over one thousand years. In this part of Sweden, the hay meadows were small. The amount of hay produced by the homesteads in these areas was barely enough to keep the livestock alive during winter. The fields were for winter fodder only. The cattle could not be allowed to graze in the homestead’s meadows. If they did, there would be no winter fodder. The farmers in these areas used summer pastures on common land in the forests and hills to survive.

In 2012, Tova and Mathias moved into a small cottage at an old fäbod. On their blog, Talasbuan Off the Grid, Tova states, “I have always, or for as long as I remember, wanted to have a fäbod. Live there at summertime with my animals and make cheese and butter. Then I met Mathias and after a while we thought, why not live like this year around? To come closer to nature and feel the shifts in the seasons in a deeper way. Feel the calm and be away from all the things that beeps and make a sound in an ordinary home. We have surely made it harder for ourselves, we could probably have bought a place with electricity and so on. But keeping this fäbod tradition, and guarding traditional skills is important to us, and so is the satisfying feeling of living a very resilient life.”

She goes on to say, “The to-do list is long, build the new log house, because currently we live in 15 square meters, a cheese cellar and a root cellar, the creamery, the kitchen garden and so on. We have sheep, chickens, pigs, rabbits, cats and dogs, In time cows and maybe goats. We are harvesting, making hay for the animals and going for the self-sufficient life.”

In February 2017, Tova and Mathias published their first vlog and have been making them ever since. I recently discovered their YouTube channel and have been fascinated by their videos. The forests of Sweden are beautiful and peaceful. Watching these two young people learning to live off of the land gives me a new appreciation for the hard work that goes into such a life. Seeing the love that they have for their animals, their land, and their life together is heartwarming. The simplicity of the life they have chosen, juxtaposed with the required hard work, fascinates me.

As much as I enjoy watching about life at Talasbuan Fäbod, I can’t imagine living off the grid. I can’t imagine living with the cold, the snow, the dark winter. I’m not ready to give up all of the comforts of electricity, running water, and indoor plumbing.

There are not many people in the western world who are living their lives off the grid. Electrical power is one of those things that we don’t think about very often. We usually only think about electrical power when it isn’t there. When we flip the switch, we expect the lights to go on. When we come home from work, we expect the house to be comfortable. When we open the refrigerator, we expect the milk to be cold.

When the power isn’t working, it suddenly becomes crucial. Anyone who was living in Polk County during December 2000 remembers being without power. A significant ice storm developed on Christmas Day and continued through the early morning hours of December 27th. A layer of ice up to 3 inches thick covered everything. 300,000 Arkansans were without power for many days. The 2000 ice storm may be the worst natural disaster in Arkansas history. We were without power for six days and had friends in South Polk County without power for 23 days.

Even though our house still had all of its electrical wiring, outlets, and switches, nothing worked. Habits are hard to break, and even after days without power, I still found myself trying to turn on the lights. Even though everything looked fine, there was no power. The experience gave me a taste of what it would be like to live off the grid.

Many people in our culture, in our society, live their lives apart from God. Spiritually, they have chosen to live their lives off the grid. Just like a house without electricity, we have no power in ourselves. We need to plug into the grid of God’s power. There are even Christians who seem reluctant to plug into God’s power. They feel that they have enough strength of their own to overcome sin. But we cannot change ourselves. I’m sure that your experience verifies the fact that sheer willpower cannot conquer sin. On our own, living like Christ is not difficult; it’s impossible. In John 15:5 (NLT), Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

Gentle Reader, just like we take our electrical power for granted, we also often take God’s power for granted. We expect Him to love us. We expect Him to be there for us, but how often do we think about His power? I don’t want to live off the grid. I want to say with King David, “I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress.” Psalms 59:16 (NLT)

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11/22/2025

Today's devotional, Grandkids, is one of my favorite topics. It is Chapter 57 in my book Devotionals From a Small Town.

When my daughter was a little girl, she loved it when the family got together. My parents, siblings, grandparents, and aunts and uncles lived nearby. My daughter wanted the whole family to be together all the time, and when we got together, she didn't want anyone to leave.

Now that she has grown up with a family of her own, she still loves it when we all get together. At least once a year, at Thanksgiving or Christmas, we are all together at Grandma's house. Her three daughters have followed her tradition of loving family get-togethers. They look forward to spending time at Grandma's house.

As I have gotten older and become a grandparent, my grandkids have become an essential part of my life. I look forward to the next time I can be with them. One of Australia's most respected writers, Helen Garner, said, "The best thing that's ever happened to me, bar none, is having grandchildren and being part of their lives." I have to agree with her.

Last weekend, my wife and I spent the weekend with my son and his family. We had a great time with our 16-month-old granddaughter. Because of the 400 miles separating us, we don't get to see her as often as we would like. In the past, she has been a bit shy around us. She had a great time with her Grandma and Papa during this visit. She wanted to spend time with us and wrapped our hearts around her little finger. Even though it's only been a short time since I saw her, I long to see her again.

When I think of my grandkids, four granddaughters, and another granddaughter on the way, I realize how much I want to be with them. I look forward to the next time that I will be able to see them. It reminds me of one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible. In John 14:1-3 (NKJV), Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." This passage reassures us of Jesus's promise to prepare a place for us and to come back for us, so that we can be with Him.

Jesus tells us that he will come again because he wants us to be where He is. I like the way that John 14:3 is translated in The Voice, a dynamic equivalent translation that reads like a story, "I will be there to greet you personally and welcome you home, where we will be together." This personal touch in His words shows how much He values each one of us.

Just like my daughter loves for the family to be together, Jesus wants His family to be together with Him. His prayer to His Father on the evening He was betrayed and arrested is recorded in John chapter 17. "I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one… Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am." John 17:20,21,24 (NLT) Once again, Jesus tells us that he wants us to be with Him.

Knowing that Jesus wants us to be with Him should make us feel special. When grandkids know that you love them and want to be with them, it makes them feel special and want to be with you.

Jesus makes it very clear that he wants to be with you. He uses the metaphor of knocking at the door, much like a loved one would do when they visit your home. Do you want to be with Him? As much as Jesus wants to be with you, it is still your choice. Jesus says, "I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and eat with you, and you will eat with me." Revelation 3:20 (NCV)

Gentle Reader, Jesus wants to be with you. He wants you to be where He is. He knocks at your door. Will you open the door? If you do, He promises to come again and take you home with Him. This is not just a promise, but a loving invitation from Jesus to be in His presence. "God's home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." Revelation 21:3,4 (NLT)

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11/21/2025

Today's devotional, How Much Are You Worth?, explores how valuable you are to God. It is Chapter 52 in my book Causing a Splash.

One day, a lawyer came to Jesus and asked him a question. Their conversation is found in Matthew 22:35-39 (NIV): "One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?' Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus meant that a person's love ought to reach in three directions—upward to God, outward to others, and inward to self.

Most Christians agree that loving God and others is important, but is it important to love yourself? Self-love or self-esteem isn't considered a Christian attribute. It's often associated with pride and self-centeredness; plenty of both exist in our world. However, that's not what Jesus meant. He was saying we should recognize and appreciate our worth. God created us in His image so we could have a relationship with Him. Jesus died for us so we could be forgiven and reconciled to the Father.

Since God values us so highly, shouldn't we love ourselves? I'm not talking about a boastful attitude, but a quiet peace that comes from knowing our heavenly Father profoundly loves us.

Healthy self-love is essential. If it is missing or incomplete, we can't love God or others as we should. A sense of unworthiness leaves us empty and prevents us from looking up to God in devotion and reaching out to others with affection. God does not want us to have low self-esteem.

The Bible actually has many passages that tell us what God thinks about our worth and value in His eyes. Genesis 1:27 (NLT) says, "God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them." You were made in God's image.

Psalm 139:13-14 (NIRV) says, "You created the deepest parts of my being. You put me together inside my mother's body. How you made me is amazing and wonderful." God made you in an amazing and wonderful way.

Ephesians 1:4 (VOICE) says, "God chose us to be in a relationship with Him even before He laid out plans for this world; He wanted us to live holy lives characterized by love, free from sin, and blameless before Him." God chose you even before the world was made.

Romans 5:8 (GNT) says, "God has shown us how much he loves us—it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us!" Jesus died for you not because you were good enough, but because he loved you. If we focus on how much God loves us and the price He paid to redeem us, we'll see ourselves as God sees us, which will help us understand just how much we're worth as children of God.

Our self-worth is too often based on what other people tell us about ourselves. Jesus is the true authority on our self-worth. Since He gave His life for us by dying on the cross, that should tell us just how valuable we are.

When we fully accept God's love for us, we'll have a healthy appreciation for ourselves, an ever-growing passion for Him, and the ability to care for others.

How much are you and I genuinely worth, and what value should we place upon each other? Often, we look at the work someone is doing, and if they're doing a poor job or making mistakes, we view that person as of little value. But is this the correct way of seeing value in someone?

If we saw the value of people as God does, would we still treat each other the way we do? In Matthew 25:45 (NLT), Jesus tells us, "I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me."

The key to seeing and understanding the value of you, me, and all other people in the world is to see our value in light of what Jesus did to save us!

Are there people in our sphere of influence failing to thrive because we are not showing them the love they need?

There's no question that Christians should want to be loved and to love others. But it's not enough to tell others that you love them; you must show that you love others! Love is not an abstract idea; it must be manifested. True love is not just something you feel; it's something you demonstrate!

We all need to grow in this area because everybody needs to know they are loved. You especially need to know how to show love if you are a follower of Jesus because He said, "Everyone will know you as My followers if you demonstrate your love to others." John 13:35 (VOICE)

In 1 John 3:16-18 (ICB), the Bible says, "This is how we know what real love is: Jesus gave his life for us. So we should give our lives for our brothers. Suppose a believer is rich enough to have all that he needs. He sees his brother in Christ who is poor and does not have what he needs. What if the believer does not help the poor brother? Then the believer does not have God's love in his heart. My children, our love should not be only words and talk. Our love must be true love. And we should show that love by what we do."

Gentle Reader, we show our love through our actions. God has asked us to love others to help them thrive. There are so many people in this world who are failing to thrive. Are there those we know who fail to thrive because our actions do not show our love for them?

Let's remember how valuable we are in God's eyes; all of us! And remember to be kind and loving to all the people in this world because of what Jesus has done for us and the great worth He has placed on each of His children.

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Richard Lawry author page - Devotionals from a Small Town

11/26/2025

11/25/2025

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