A Pilgrim's Friend

Non-believers’ favorite teaching of Jesus is, “Do not judge.” Whenever a Christian speaks about the goodness or badness of an idea, action, or choice, they’re ready to recite it from memory with all the earnestness and pomp of an old-school Bible-Thumping preacher.

The problem is Jesus doesn’t teach that.

Jesus on Judging

Far from forbidding judging others, Jesus and his Apostles command it. Consider:

In John 7:24, he instructs, “Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly,” urging righteous discernment.

In Matthew 18:15, he directs believers to confront a sinning brother, saying, “Go and point out their fault,” outlining the process of corrective judgment.

Jesus also warns in Matthew 7:15 to “watch out for false prophets,” requiring evaluation of others’ obedience to Scripture to discern the trustworthiness of their words.

Even in Matthew 7:1, where He says, “Judge not, lest you be judged,” Jesus is not prohibiting judgment but hypocritical judgment, illustrating in Matthew 7:4-5 that one must remove the “log” from their own eye so they can see clearly to help a brother with a “speck.”

This call to judge rightly isn’t just from Jesus—Paul echoes it, urging believers to judge within the church to maintain its purity (1 Corinthians 5:12).

Jesus is against hypocritical, undiscerning, and ill-founded judgments, but he clearly calls believers to judge with fairness and wisdom to uphold the truth and protect themselves and the church.

Defining Our Terms

Why are so many confused about this? The problem lays in incorrectly defining the word “judge.” In today’s normal use, the word judge means to look down on or condescendingly evaluate someone. This understanding of judgment is obviously wrong and the passages above show Jesus think so too. However, the definition of the word judge is to form an opinion or conclusion about something. If you see a man with a gun in hand in public you judge him dangerous and call the police. If you enjoy a conversation and think someone kind, you’ve judged them. When a friend is crying you judge them in need of your care. Judgments are decisions. Understanding this definition gives us some helpful insights.

Judging is neutral. Judging itself is not inherently right or wrong. How and why you judge determines its morality.

Judging is unavoidable. Whenever you make decisions based on what you hear or see, you are judging. Every hour, you make judgments.

Judging is important. The decisions you make have an enormous influence on the kind of life you live. Your soul, your family, your church, and your life hang upon the soundness of your judgments.

Judgments can be good or bad depending on the criteria and motive, but they are not inherently wrong; they’re unavoidable and important. Everyone makes judgments about everything.

Judge Correctly

Some fear judging lacks love or humility, but Jesus shows it embodies both when aimed at restoration and grounded in truth. As quoted above, Jesus says, “Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly” (John 7:24). The question, then, is not, “Should I judge?” but “How am I judging?”

Here are three necessary aspects of godly, correct judgment.

(1) Correct Judgment Is Based on Truth

Godly judgment is based what we see in life by the light of God’s Word, not our fleeting opinions, emotions, preferences, biases, or sinful tendencies. It’s discerning what people say and do in the light of God’s standard (Matthew 7:15-20).

(2) Correct Judgment Is Made with Humility

How easy it is to have 20-20 vision of other peoples’ sins while being blind to our own! Godly judgment can only be made with humble and honest self-examination. If we don’t examine our own sin correctly, how could we possibly help others with theirs? Matthew 7:5 warns to remove your own “log” before pointing out another’s speck. It’s a clear-eyed judgment unblinded by self-defending pride.

(3) Correct Judgment Is for the Sake of Love

Love for God and others is the driving motive of godly judgment, not pride or prejudice. It’s aim is restore or protect, not ruin or insult. Jesus urges Christians to confront the sin of their fellow church members to “gain your brother” (Matthew 18:15). Paul tells believers they are to judge those within the church (1 Corinthians 5:12) in order that they may be “saved on the day of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 5:5). Correct judgment is a redemptive act to heal believers from soul-killing sin (Matt. 18:15; 1 Corinthians 5:1-5), protect the purity church (1 Corinthians 5:6-7), and thus magnify the glory of God. Correct judgment is not prohibited because of love, it’s fueled by it.

Our world is filled with “dangers, toils, and snares.” If we are wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16) in our judgments (that is, our opinions or conclusions about what we see or hear), then we’re in danger, of little use to those we love, and open to all Satan’s deceptive schemes.

Beloved, judge well.

Edited from a sermon delivered to Chino Valley Community Church men’s gathering on Saturday, May 3, 2025

In a world clouded by confusion about identity, the question “What is a man?” often elicits blank stares or shallow stereotypes. As believers, we don’t need to wrestle with cultural fog. Instead, we ask a better question: What kind of man does God call me to be?

Why This Matters

The stakes are high when it comes to the question of manhood. Counterfeit versions of manhood abound. It seems we’ve just as much to unlearn as we do to learn. Also, men dramatically shape their health and culture of their homes, churches, and communities—for better or worse. For example, consider the contrast between the family legacies of the criminal Max Jukes and the godly pastor Jonathan Edwards. After scholars studied multiple descendants from both men, here is what they found:

Max Jukes’ generational legacy included 60 thieves, 190 prostitutes, 150 other convicts, 310 beggars, and 440 individuals ravaged by alcohol addiction, with 300 dying prematurely.

Jonathan Edwards’ legacy included one U.S. Vice-President, one dean of a law school, one dean of a medical school, three U.S. Senators, three governors, three mayors, 13 college presidents, 30 judges, 60 doctors, 65 professors, 75 military officers, 80 public office holders, 100 lawyers, 100 clergymen, and 285 college graduates.”

A man’s influence is generational. Men, as bearers of God’s image alongside women, are called to reflect His glory in a distinctly masculine way. (1 Corinthians 11:7), then God being known and loved is directly affected by men knowing who we are and living that out.

So, again, what is a godly man? Thankfully, our Heavenly Father hasn’t left his sons without an answer. Through the words of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 5, we see a godly man knows his call, fulfills his responsibilities, and remembers his need.

1. Godly Men Know Their Call (Ephesians 5:1–2)

The world’s models of manhood—romantic conquests (bedrooms), wealth (billfolds), or athletic prowess (ballfields)—are shallow, misleading, and destructive. Men who imitate these models do little good and much harm to themselves, their families, and society. Instead, the Lord provides us a different model: himself. Ephesians 5:1–2 says:

“Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us.”

God’s picture of godly manhood is given us definitively in Christ. His character, conduct, and concerns are the standards to measure ourselves by and model after.

Some may hesitate here and think, “Isn’t Jesus a bit soft?” Although Christian art often depicts Jesus as soft or effeminate, the Scriptures paint a different picture. J. Oswald Sanders wrote,

“There was nothing soft or effeminate about Jesus. He was the strong Son of God, strenuous and virile. He confronted hypocrisy with scathing denunciation, drove the money-changers from the temple, and stood erect and calm before Pilate. Yet He wept over Jerusalem, took little children into His arms, and was moved with compassion at human sorrow. No one ever feared that contact with Jesus would sap his manhood. He was the manliest of men.”

A simple reading of the gospels will demonstrate the truth Sanders noted. Not only was Jesus a man, but he was a manly man who avoided the twin distortions of emotionally stunted strength and weak emotionalism. He was a man who seamlessly blended strength with compassion, courage with intelligence, and labor with love. A man worthy of imitation.

Children who mimic their fathers teach us a valuable lesson. They don’t just listen to their dads, they watch them closely. In doing so, inch by inch and often without anyone noticing, they become like them. The lesson? We become who we behold. Rather than comparing ourselves to flawed cultural icons, God’s men heed the call to fix our eyes on Christ as he’s revealed in Scripture. By beholding Him we will become like him.

Understanding our call, godly men must now fulfill our responsibilities.

2. Godly Men Fulfill Their Responsibilities (Ephesians 5:22–6:4)

Scripture is clear that God created men and women equal in value but distinct in roles. Both equally important and importantly different. Men are uniquely called to lead in family and church, not out of superiority as a ruler, but in obedience as one with entrusted responsibility. In Scripture, this responsibility to lead is established at creation and reinforced throughout the rest of Scripture. Leadership for men at home and church isn’t decided by us, but designed by God. The question isn’t if men are leaders (they are), but whether they’re good or bad leaders.

What are they specifically responsible to lead?

A) You Are Responsible to Lead Your Wife (Ephesians 5:22–30)

Husbands are the “head of their wives as Christ is the head of the church (Eph. 5:23). They’re responsible to love their wives “as Christ loved the church” (Ephesians 5:25). This isn’t merely providing for their wife’s physical needs or pacifying their complaints—it’s sacrificing themselves for their wives’ good (Eph. 5:25), nurturing their wife’s holiness in Christ (Eph. 5:26-27), and selflessly and attentively caring for their wife’s needs as they do their own bodies (Eph. 5:28-30). If anyone is afraid of or upset at the idea of male headship, reread the responsibilities above. Biblical headship isn’t cruel tyranny, it’s sacrificial love. It is not about men getting, but giving; not about what’s owed, but what’s due; not about self-satisfaction, but giving ourselves for the satisfaction of another. Misogyny? Primitive, woman-belittling chauvinism? I think not.

Now, some husbands may object, “But you don’t know my wife, she is difficult!” Frankly, that’s irrelevant. Our wife’s receptivity, response, difficulty, or immaturity may make our jobs more or less difficult, but it doesn’t erase our responsibility. Remember, Jesus didn’t wait for the church to be “lovely” before loving her (Romans 5:8), but he loved her to make her lovely. Go and do likewise.

B) You Are Responsible to Lead Your Children (Ephesians 6:1–4)

As the head of the home, fathers are uniquely (though not exclusively) responsible for their children’s spiritual growth. Ephesians 6:4 instructs, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” This cuts to the heart of men’s selfish tendencies to dodge or delegate this duty to others (e.g. our church, youth ministry, wives, kids’ mentors, or schools). Children are a father’s “first sheep”. While a wife is a vital Helper, the father remains the accountable Head to disciple them in the Lord.

This responsibility involves two important works.

First, Fathers Must Avoid Tearing Down Their Kids

First, Paul warns fathers that they must not tear their children down (6:4). It is easy for fathers to carelessly anger their children through excessive criticism, ignoring their concerns, or imposing arbitrary rules (“eleventh commandments”) the Lord doesn’t assign them. Though easy to drift into, these tendencies foster resentment and negatively affect a father’s ministry to his children. If you are personally unaware of how you may needlessly upset your children, ask your wife, “Are there things I do that anger the kids?” I am sure she’ll help.

Second, Fathers Must Work to Build Up Their Kids

Paul points out two ways a father goes about this work. First, he is to discipline his children. Like a coach, fathers are to formatively discipline their children to grow in wisdom and skill for life and correctively discipline their kids when they err. The first seeks to cultivate Christ-like virtues in our kids (justice, self-control, honesty, diligence, etc.) and the second seeks to correct unChrist-like vices (dishonesty, selfishness, disobedience, etc.). The first plants seeds in and the second pulls weeds out of our children’s character. In addition to discipline, fathers hold the mantle of teaching their kids the Word of God. This includes reading, explaining, and discussing the Scriptures and the truths of the faith. It involves modeling for our kids what a genuine, Christ-adoring Christian life looks like. Both a father’s words and his deeds – his teaching and his example – are essential for a child to understand the Word of God.

Cultivating our children’s behavior and beliefs is not the ultimately the responsibility of our church’s, youth groups, schools, or kid’s mentors; it is the father’s. Fathers, in teaching your children to keep their eye on the GPA, the academic resume, or the ball, do not neglect your primary duty to help them keep their eye on Christ in all of life.

It may help to note that though these two responsibilities focus on the roles of husband and father, being a godly man does not require having a wife or children (although most men are called to such a ministry). The heart expressed in these roles—sacrificial love, faithful stewardship, and leading others toward Christ—can be applied by any man at any stage. A single man can embody these by serving his church, mentoring others, or caring for family and friends with the same selfless devotion. Godliness flows ultimately from a heart aligned with God’s will, not from specific life circumstances.

C) You Are Responsible to Love Your Church (Ephesians 5:25)

Ephesians 5:25 is famous for instructing husbands to love their wives like Christ loves the church, but men must not forget to love the church like Christ loves the church! What would your relationship with someone look like if they hated or were ambivalent to the well-being of your wife? What then of our relationship with Jesus if we dismiss or reject his bride, the church? Instead, like the men of Nehemiah’s day were called to build and protect Jerusalem (God’s beloved city) so God’s men today are to fill their church’s gaps with service—teaching, helping, or mentoring— and fortify the church with their strength. Godly men are not merely consumers or critics of the church, but construction workers who labor for her good.

Godly men know their call and fulfill their responsibilities. What is the last instruction for those wanting to be God’s men?

3. Godly Men Remember Their Need (Ephesians 2:8–10)

Not long ago I watched a video online of a man teaching another man’s son how his misbehavior and folly affected his father. He told the boy to get on his father’s back as he did push ups. As the father slowly grew tired, arms shaking, and barely able to push up any longer, he explained to the son that his folly put more weight on his father’s already burdened back. The scene was a powerful lesson not only of a son’s responsibility, but of the weight that all fathers carry. Their wife, their kids, and their community burden their shoulders every day they wake up.

The call to godly manhood is weighty.

After hearing this high call, you may feel you’ve failed or will inevitably fail in the role God has called you. Let me be clear, you have and you will. But, dear brothers, remember this in all you do: your strength isn’t in your skill or perfection—it’s in Christ. Ephesians 2:8–10 reminds:

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. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

In the face of your shortcomings, sins, and inadequacies do not hide, minimize, or ignore your guilt. But grab it in full, walk to the cross of Christ and drop all of it there and leave it for dead, for that is where it dies. Then, as you stand in the glorious shadow of the cross, look to Christ to teach, lead, and strengthen you for the work he’s created and saved you to know for the good of others and the glory of His precious name. God’s men aren’t driven by fear, comparison, or worldly standards. They’re fueled by daily grace, as fresh as morning coffee. Men, you have a weighty call, but praise God, you have a worthy Savior.

Sons of the King

C.S. Lewis’ The Horse and His Boy captures the essence of godly leadership pictured above. King Lune tells his son, the king-in-waiting:

“For this is what it means to be a king: to be first in every desperate attack and last in every desperate retreat, and when there’s hunger in the land… [to] laugh louder over a scantier meal than any man in your land.”

Brothers, you are sons of the King of Kings. By God’s grace, the Spirit’s power, and the church’s support, live like it. Take courage and be the first in every desperate attack. Fulfill your responsibilities even if you’re the last one left. Rejoice loudly along the way because you know the True King has already won.

Throw off the distorted models of manhood in the world and be God’s man. Know your role, fulfill your responsibilities, and remember the gospel.

Governor Tim Walz recently cited Matthew 25:40—”To the least among you, you do of me”—to back immigration legislation. Many Christians apply this verse to the poor or marginalized and they’re wrong for doing so.

Jesus does call us to care for the poor—’Love your neighbor’ (Matt. 22:39)—but that’s not the point of Matthew 25:40. It’s a right truth taken from the wrong text.

Isn’t This a Bit Nit-Picky?

You might ask, ‘If it inspires care for the poor, does the text matter?’ Yes, it really matters a lot. First, loving God means listening His words, not twisting them. Your spouse doesn’t it like it when you do that, God doesn’t either (2 Peter 3:16). Second, modeling misinterpretation teaches others to misread Scripture. Third, forcing our ideas into a given text risks distorting the Bible to speak of our priorities and to miss God’s priorities. Speaking a true thing from a wrong text is better than speaking an altogether false thing, but not by much.

So, what is Jesus teaching here?

Who Are the “Least of These?”

The least of these is not about how we treat poor or suffering folks in general (even less about a specific public policy, Mr. Governor), but about how we treat Christians being persecuted for their faith. Here are four reasons why.

(1) What They’re Called. Jesus calls them “my brothers” in Matthew 25:40, which refers to his followers or disciples (e.g. Matthew 12:48-50), not the poor.

(2) What They’re Experiencing. Many of the actions mentioned—visiting the imprisoned or hungry—align with the experiences of disciples suffering because of their trust in Christ and not a broad social welfare mandate or sentiment.

(3) Why Some Are Judged. In this passage, Jesus judges the unbelieving nations (the goats) based on their treatment of his followers (i.e. the sheep). Salvation is evidenced not by one’s relationship to the poor in general, but their to Jesus’ people specifically.

(4) What They Ask. Both believers and unbelievers are shocked by Jesus’ pronouncement of them and ask, “When did we treat you this way?” Jesus’ answer is their treatment of his people (i.e. his brothers, believers) was their treatment of him. Jesus intimately identifies with his people. Jesus’ makes this clear in other places.

He asks Paul, the man who persecuted Christians, “Why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:1-5).

Jesus sends his disciples out to preach and says, “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me” (Matthew 10:40).

At the last supper, Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me” (John 13:20).

The point is clear, what we do to his people because they’re Christians, we do to him. Therefore, this underlines the point above: the “least of these” whom are treated as representatives of Jesus, those Jesus calls “his brothers”, are believers.

While Jesus commands care for the poor elsewhere (e.g., Matthew 22:39), Matthew 25:40 has a narrower scope: not the world, but the church.

Don’t Neglect Jesus

Why is this important? If we make this passage about the poor in general, it can easily cause one to care for the world (which isn’t bad) while neglecting to care for the church (which is bad). To use Jesus’ own teaching here: misreading this passage can cause us to care for the poor and neglect caring for Jesus.

When I was a young Christian I began reading a lot. A lot of Bible and a lot of theology. I picked up some old confessions of faith where the brightest of my Christian ancestors worked together to summarize what the Bible taught about various important matters.

In reading those confessions, I couldn’t help but notice that most—if not all—included an exposition of the Ten Commandments. In my early experience, many well-meaning Christians taught me that the Ten Commandments were just for the Jews so I didn’t need to dwell on them. Better to stick to the New Testament. Moreover, most believers I knew at that time could barely name two or three of the ten commands. By word and deed, I was taught to see the Ten Commandments as a relic of yesterday and not a treasure for today.

I was wrong.

The Ten Commands Are Good, Actually

Like God’s promises, God’s commands are good, actually. The Ten Commandments reveal God’s never changing character and are morally binding upon all people at all times in all places. Yes, they also show us our sin (and that hurts), but knowing the bad news about our sin causes us to finally look up to see the glory of the gospel of our salvation! Even more, the Law’s practical wisdom guides us to live a life that will only grow richer, not poorer. As the Psalmist says, “The Law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimonies of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7-11). The man who meditates and walks according to them is blessed (Psalm 1:1-2). The Law of God isn’t a burden, but a blessing.

You may be thinking, “How can a list of prohibitions be so good or ‘revive my soul'” (Ps. 19:7)? I understand that. To the superficial reader, the commands seem only to be explicit “no’s”: “no murder” or “no stealing” or “no lying.” However, all the “thou shalt nots” carry hidden “thou shalts.” Behind “no murder” there is a “yes, care about people.” Behind “no stealing” you should hear a “yes, respect people.” Behind “no, adultery” there is a hearty, “Be faithful to people.” In these Ten Words, God is essentially saying, “Avoid the wrong and pursue the good.” All the “no’s” carry implied “yeses”. God gave His Ten Commandments not as a stern checklist of what not to do, but as a living map on how to worship God and love others.

Let me show you how.

The First Table: A Guide to Worship

As you likely know, God gave Moses ten commandments written on two tablets. The first has to with our worship of God and the second our love of neighbor. Jesus offered the best summary of both tables: love God and love others (Matthew 22:37-39). So, the two “great commandments” aren’t new, they’re just fresh ways of summarizing the old Ten Commandments God gifted his people with at Sinai.

Surprisingly, you’ll notice the list of ten doesn’t start with a command, but a proclamation of the basis of our worship: the gospel that God saves sinners who trust Him.

The Prologue: The Basis of Worship

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Exodus 20:2). Before any command, God declares Himself our Deliverer. Isn’t that a comfort? Worship begins here—with the One who’s saved us and how he saved us. It’s a grounding truth: we adore Him because He first loved us. Paul underlines this same reality in Romans where he unpacks the good news of God’s saving grace in Romans 1-11 and then turns to show believers how to live “by the mercies of God” (Romans 12:1). Our obedience isn’t toward salvation, but from it; it isn’t the grounds of salvation, but its fruit.

So how do the saved live?

Commandment 1: The Object of Worship

“You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). This one’s a call to focus: Him alone, no rivals. We all catch ourselves sometimes chasing little gods—worry, ambition, material possessions, status—but this command pulls us back to the one from Whom and for Whom we exist.

Commandment 2: The Manner of Worship

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image” (Exodus 20:4). God won’t be boxed in or tamed by our hands. We often like to customize the way we worship to what is convenient or comfortable for us, but God calls us to love Him as He wants to be loved. By all means, enjoy and honor God in all areas of life – on your hikes, at sunsets, reading novels, or having coffee with friends, but don’t neglect the ways He’s instructed you to worship Him. God doesn’t want improvised, but faithful worship; on His terms, not ours.

Commandment 3: The Heart of Worship

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” (Exodus 20:7, ESV). Though this command is often reduced to not using God’s name as a cuss word, it’s not limited to that. It’s about reverence, the heart from which our words pour out. Careless speech about God is a symptom of careless worship of God. God isn’t offended by our careless words about Him as much as the careless heart that provides it. To say it positively, it is heart worship, not lip worship, that God cares about.

Commandment 4: The Time of Worship

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). This one’s a gift—a pause button in a frantic world. I’m inclined to fill my days with exhausting work on earthward things, but God says, “Set aside and be serious about the one day I’ve given you each week for special rest for your body and worship of me from your soul.” God has scheduled our gathered worship into our calendars and we neglect this at the peril of our body and soul.

In this table, God doesn’t simple say to love Him with all our heart, but how. In the next table, God instructs us on how to love our neighbor.

The Second Table: A Call to Love

Like the first four, these commands aren’t just “don’ts”—they’re “do’s” in disguise, painting a picture of love lived out. In her famous song, Cher once sang, “What is love?” In the second table, God answers.

Commandment 6: The Work of Love

“You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13). More than avoiding harm, this calls us to labor for the good of people in our reach; not to harm, but to protect and nurture their life. It shows us love isn’t a feeling, but an action. It has hands and feet. If your love isn’t working to better people’s character or circumstances, it isn’t love at all.

Commandment 7: The Commitment of Love

“You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). Faithfulness is the heartbeat here. True love stays true. In a world of broken promises, this calls us to honor our obligations to spouse, family, church, workplace, and neighbor. Genuine love doesn’t fall or fade with our feelings, but is steadfastly committed rain or shine, good or bad, thick or thin. It says, “I love you today and I will continue to love you tomorrow no matter what. It’s a high and beautiful bar to live up to, don’t you think?

Commandment 8: The Respect of Love

“You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15). This is about respecting the rights of others and reminding ourselves it they’re not ours to take. We don’t take our work hours to use them for solitaire. We don’t take the hard earned money of other people. We take ourselves or our resources away from the church family God has called us to. We are to practice love that doesn’t grab, but gives.

Commandment 9: The Truthfulness of Love

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16). Loving my neighbor means speaking truly to them – guarding us against lies, false accusations, convenient exaggerations or half-truths. It also means speaking truly about them – guarding against slander, gossip, and bitter speech intending to hurt or destroy. When someone does something evil or foolish, God teaches to have a kind of love that chooses to say the hard (and sometimes hurtful) true thing to help them change instead of the easy lie that will comfortably enable them to continue in their folly. Truth is the language love.

Commandment 10: The Contentment of Love

“You shall not covet” (Exodus 20:17). We love others well when we rest in what God gives. Our culture’s guide to happiness is to travel the road of “more” with the promise it will lead to the land of happiness. Instead, love walks the road of contentment and doesn’t seek what isn’t ours to have. A covetous heart anxiously seeks happiness by collecting things for King Me, but love contentedly and cheerfully cares for others in the Name of King Jesus.

A Lamp Unto My Feet

The Psalmist sang it well, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105). It is God’s Word – yes, His Law – that helps us know not only to love God and others, but how. They’re not as much rules as they are lamps, lighting the way to worship God rightly and love others well. We all trip over them often—our heart veers, our tongue slips—but the One who saved us by His blood will be faithful to guide us by His Spirit to walk the path of his perfect Law.