3 Things I Learned Competing in Austin’s Funniest Comics 2026

A few months ago, I signed up for a comedy competition with 250 comedians in Austin at Capital City Comedy Club in the Domain. That means 250 people were trying to accomplish the exact same thing I was, make people laugh.

Stand-up comedy has a funny way of exposing you. It’s just you and a mic on a stage. The lights are bright. You can’t really see the audience. People are seated at your feet. And, everyone is there with an attitude like, “Make me laugh!”

When you do stand-up comedy there’s nowhere to hide. Every word, every breath, every pause, and every facial expression counts. There’s no PowerPoint to blame on technical difficulties. It’s just a room full of strangers deciding in real time whether you’ve earned another minute of their attention. As I walked away from my set, I realized I had learned lessons that have very little to do with comedy and almost everything to do with life.

1. You Don’t Have to Beat Everyone

You just have to do your job: When I first heard there were 250 comedians competing, it felt overwhelming. How do you compete with that many people? Then I remembered something important. I wasn’t performing against 250 comedians that night. I was performing in front of one audience. My job wasn’t to be better than everyone else. My job was to deliver the best 4 minutes I was capable of delivering. That’s true in almost every area of life. We spend so much energy looking sideways as we comparing careers, churches, businesses, social media, and accomplishments, that we forget our actual assignment. Comparison creates anxiety because it asks us to control outcomes we never could. But, preparation creates confidence because it focuses on what we actually can control.

    Whether you’re leading a company, raising kids, preaching a sermon, or stepping on stage, your responsibility is the same: Prepare. I can’t control how audiences are going to respond. But I can work out those 4-minutes! I can run through those 4-minutes. I can imagine how the audience is going to respond. I can watch the audience as they prepare for the show. I can imagine how they might respond. I can prepare!

    Failures Compound Faster Than Big Breakthroughs

    The majority of laughs I got that night were from moments where jokes didn’t work, audiences didn’t respond, and timing was off. Each of those failures is an opportunity to improve. Do words need to change? I can swap the order. Where can I cut?

    In sermons and comedy, most people just assume I am quick on my feet talking about topics off the top of my head. Not even close. The four minutes last night have been delivered 50 times over the last two-years and every miss was an opportunity to make it better. 

    Confidence Comes From Evidence, Not Optimism

    Some comedians seem to not care if an audience laughs. I need the audience to laugh. It isn’t because I need them to like me. I want to get on the same page with the audience and if they are laughing at what I think is funny it tells me, “We’re all hearing the same thing.” 

    Before I get called up to a stage I can feel my heart beating in my chest. I am flooded with these thoughts like, “Why am I doing this to myself?” The only thing that quiets that voice is my faith in Jesus that give me the courage to pursue this area of my life and evidence that people have found these bits funny. 

    Real confidence isn’t pretending you’re not nervous. It’s remembering you’ve done difficult things before. I’ve found that to be true in comedy, leadership, and faith.  Courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s trusting what you’ve already learned enough to take the next step anyway.

    One Final Thought

    Competitions have winners and losers. But life isn’t a competition. Sometimes in life there are going to be moments where we advance and there are going to be moments when the fruit of the hard work doesn’t materialize. 

    Success in life isn’t about advancing. Success in life is about learning and discovering that you’re far more capable than you thought you were six months ago. For me, I’m grateful I advanced to the next round, but I’m even more grateful for what the process taught me. Because long after this competition is over, those lessons will still be shaping the way I live, lead, and step onto the next stage.

    The Danger of Uncertainty

    If you’ve ever driven around the Domain in Austin, you know how quickly things can change. One week there’s a new apartment complex going up. The next week another restaurant closes. Tech companies are hiring, then laying off. Traffic patterns change, so that sometimes morning traffic is at 7:30am and sometimes 9:30am.  What?

    Last Sunday, I stood in front of our church family, a church by the Domain in Austin, and realized we were living through one of those seasons.  We are in the midst of a ton of questions. Where are we going to meet? How is this all going to work financially? New positions on staff are need and just like in any church, we need men and women who are taking ownership beyond attending on Sunday morning.

    In addition, how do we stay focused on our vision as a church family in the midst of uncertainty. The temptation to give into apathy and indifference is off the charts. After all, what does it matter? This is the voice that echoes through our church family right now. You can feel it on a Sunday morning. It’s palpable! As the elders of our church family, we know we don’t have all the answers. The people in our church family know we don’t have all the answers. And, like most people, our first instinct in the midst of uncertainty is to find certainty!

    • “If I just knew what was going to happen…”
    • “If I could just get an answer…”
    • “If I knew how this relationship would turn out…”
    • “If I knew whether this job was going to work…”

    Then I’d finally have peace, confidence, clarity and everything would be great! But that’s not what Scripture teaches. In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve didn’t lack information. They had everything they needed. They knew God. They walked with Him in the cool of the garden as friends. Can you imagine?

    But something changed in their story. It wasn’t the information they possessed about God and one another. It was the uncertainty that entered the conversation when the serpent asked one simple question: “Has God really said…?” That question wasn’t about gathering information. It’s not like the serpent was genuinely wondering, “What has God said?” He knows! Instead the serpent was introducing uncertainty into the conversation.

    Uncertainty Shapes Us

    Here’s what struck me while studying Genesis 3. The greatest danger wasn’t that Adam and Eve had unanswered questions. The greatest danger was that uncertainty began shaping their relationship with God. That’s still true today. When uncertainty goes unchecked, we begin asking different questions.

    • “Can I really trust God?”
    • “Is He holding out on me?”
    • “Does He actually know what’s best?”
    • “Is He paying attention?”

    The circumstances haven’t changed yet, but our hearts have started to look for something else in life to find stability. This is where the spiritual fight for our faith in Jesus goes live! The serpent never showed up with overwhelming power. He showed up with words and suggestions about truth.

    He didn’t immediately tell Eve to rebel against God. Instead, he simply nudged her toward uncertainty. That’s how deception usually works. Rarely does it ask us to abandon everything overnight. Instead, it slowly erodes trust.

    • One conversation.
    • One thought.
    • One assumption.
    • One compromise at a time.

    Responding to Uncertainty

    One of the fascinating details in Genesis 3 is that Eve begins subtly changing what God actually said. God began with generosity in Genesis 2, “You may freely eat from every tree…” By the time Eve repeats God’s command, the emphasis on God’s generosity has disappeared. She even adds restrictions God never gave. That’s what uncertainty often does. It magnifies what we’ve lost while minimizing what we’ve been given. Uncertainty creates fear that becomes louder than gratitude.

    In a city like Austin, it can give us this illusion of certainty. Tech companies keep moving into the city. Exotic cars keep appearing. We are surrounded by wealth and education in the capitol of Texas! It feels pretty certain! But it just takes a moment and any of those “certain” areas of life can change in a second. And, deep down, we know those areas of life are unstable and unreliable. Therefore, the goal isn’t to eliminate uncertainty in life. That’s impossible! The better question is, “Who am I becoming while I walk through uncertainty?”

    This is critical because fear produces one kind of person. It’s the kind of person that gets wrapped up with insecurity. Fear stirs up passivity. Fear causes us to spend energy on something that might never happen. But, when we are in a place of trust it produces a different kind of a person. When we are layered in trust we will move toward people. We are clear in our thinking. One is controlled by outcomes, the other has a foundation.

    The Gospel Speaks Into Our Uncertainty

    Genesis 3 doesn’t end with Adam and Eve hiding forever. God comes looking for them. Read that last sentence again, “God comes looking for them.” That’s the gospel! Long before Adam and Eve searched for Him, He searched for them. Read the chapter for yourself and see. It’s amazing!

    That story ultimately points to Jesus. Where Adam and Eve hid, Jesus stepped forward. Where they tried to cover their own shame, Jesus covered ours through His death and resurrection. The gospel isn’t simply that God gives us answers. The gospel is that God gives us Himself. That changes everything. Because certainty has never been found in perfect circumstances. It’s found in the unchanging character of God.

    The future will still be unclear. Our economy will still fluctuate. Relationships will disappoint if we give them enough time. But the invitation of Jesus remains the same as He calls us to know Him, trust Him, follow Him, and invite others to do the same. Because, sometimes faith isn’t knowing exactly where you’re going, sometimes faith is knowing Who you’re walking with on the journey.

    Pray About the Decision. Pray for the Decision-Maker.

    Austin is full of people trying to optimize their lives. Which neighborhood should we move to? Should I leave my startup? Should we have another child? Should I buy the house or keep renting? Should I stay in Texas?

    I think we should pray about every one of those decisions. Scripture tells us to bring everything before God in prayer. Our decisions matter to Him because our lives matter to Him. But over the years, I’ve realized there’s another prayer that is just as important.

    “Lord, make me into the kind of man who makes wise decisions.”

    Those two prayers belong together. One seeks God’s guidance. The other seeks God’s transformation. I think God delights in answering both. Here are some guiding points to consider:

    1. Pray for wisdom.

    When God invited Solomon to ask for anything, Solomon didn’t ask for success, security, or certainty. He asked for wisdom. That wasn’t an accident. Life is full of decisions where the answer isn’t immediately obvious. Parenting, marriage, work, finances, friendships, ministry, and leadership all require wisdom. James tells us that if we lack wisdom, we should ask God because He gives generously. Before asking God to remove every difficult decision, ask Him to make you wiser.

    2. Pray for humility.

    One of the greatest obstacles to wise decisions isn’t a lack of information. It’s pride. Pride convinces us we’ve already thought through every angle. Pride dismisses the people God has placed around us. Pride hears advice but rarely listens. Proverbs reminds us that wise people receive instruction. As you pray about a decision, ask God to give you the humility to hear what you may not want to hear.

    3. Pray for a clean heart.

    It’s amazing how quickly sin can distort our judgment. Unforgiveness, jealousy, selfish ambition, fear, and hidden pride all have a way of making bad ideas sound reasonable. David prayed, “Search me, O God.”

    That’s a dangerous prayer. But it’s also a necessary one. Before asking God which path to take, ask Him if there’s anything in your heart that’s preventing you from seeing clearly.

    4. Pray for a renewed mind.

    Every decision begins with the way we think. Romans 12 says we’re transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we can discern God’s will. The more our minds are shaped by Scripture, the better equipped we are to recognize what is wise, loving, and honoring to Christ. God doesn’t simply want to change our circumstances. He wants to change the way we think.

    5. Pray for discernment.

    Many of life’s hardest decisions aren’t between right and wrong. They’re between two good options. That’s why Paul prayed that believers would “discern what is best.” Discernment is the ability to recognize not only what is permissible, but what is most helpful, most loving, and most faithful. It’s a gift worth praying for.

    6. Pray about the decision itself.

    After all of that, don’t stop praying about the decision. Tell God exactly what’s on your mind. Ask Him for clarity. Ask Him to open and close doors. Ask Him for peace. Ask Him to direct your steps. Our Heavenly Father invites us to bring every concern to Him, including the decisions that keep us awake at night.

    Prayer isn’t about informing God. It’s about walking with Him. The older I get, the more I believe every decision is accomplishing two things at once. It’s shaping my future. But it’s also shaping me. That’s why I never want my prayers to stop with, “Lord, what should I do?” I also want to pray, “Lord, who am I becoming?”

    Because one day this decision will be behind me. But the kind of man I’m becoming will remain. So pray about the decision. Then pray that God would make you into the kind of person who consistently makes wise ones.

    Anyone who has driven MoPac or I-35 during rush hour knows there isn’t always a perfect route Sometimes Waze sends you through neighborhoods you’ve never heard of. Sometimes you stay on the Lamar. Sometimes every option is slow.

    Life feels like that, too. God doesn’t promise to remove every difficult decision. But He does promise wisdom for those who ask, peace for those who trust Him, and His presence wherever the road leads. So pray about the decision. But don’t stop there. Pray that, wherever you end up, you’ll become the kind of man or woman who reflects Jesus a little more than you did before the journey began.

    Somewhere along the way, many Christians add another question. “What does God want me to do?” On the surface, that sounds like a spiritual question. But I wonder if it’s always the right one.

    Years ago, one of my friends was about to take a job in a new city. Right before he made the decision, someone asked him, “Do you think you’ve prayed about this enough?” His face immediately changed. How much is enough? How would anyone know? How many prayer hours would satisfy God? Ten? Twenty? A hundred?

    Sometimes we’re terrified of making the wrong decision because we assume God has ONE hidden answer we’re supposed to discover. We assume, “If we pray long enough…If we wait patiently enough…If we’re spiritual enough…Eventually God will reveal Option A instead of Option B.

    The problem is, we don’t see that pattern very often in Scripture. That’s probably surprising coming from a pastor. Instead of

    Those aren’t the same thing.

    Certainty removes responsibility.

    Wisdom requires maturity.

    Maybe that’s why God spends so much more time shaping our character than explaining our future.

    Think about the prayers Paul records in the New Testament.

    He prays for believers to know Christ more deeply.

    To grow in love.

    To have spiritual strength.

    To possess wisdom.

    To discern what is best.

    What he doesn’t pray is, “Lord, tell them whether to move to Ephesus or Corinth.”

    That observation has changed the way I pray.

    Instead of asking God to choose for me, I ask Him to change me.

    When I’m facing a decision, my prayers usually sound more like this.

    “Lord, give me wisdom.”

    “Show me where pride is blinding me.”

    “Help me actually listen to people who disagree with me.”

    “Reveal any sin that’s clouding my judgment.”

    “Renew my mind so I think more like Jesus.”

    “Help me discern what is best.”

    Those prayers are different.

    They’re slower.

    They’re harder.

    But they’re also the prayers God repeatedly invites us to pray.

    Here’s what I’ve discovered.

    The more obsessed I become with finding the perfect decision, the more anxious I become.

    The more focused I become on becoming the kind of person who can make wise decisions, the more freedom I experience.

    I still don’t know the future.

    Neither do you.

    But we don’t have to.

    God has never promised to hand us a roadmap for every intersection in life.

    He has promised to walk with us.

    Maybe that’s because He’s far less interested in raising people who always know the right answer than He is in raising people who increasingly resemble His Son.

    And perhaps that’s been His will all along.

    Leading Through Uncertainty

    There are moments when leadership isn’t about having the answers. It’s about creating space for people to hear from God. A few months ago, our church found ourselves in one of those moments.

    Our lease was ending. The rent on our building was increasing from $13,000 a month to $17,000. We knew we weren’t going to sign another long term lease. That meant we had a decision to make: Was North Village Church coming to an end, or was God inviting us into a new season?

    On a personal level, there was a temptation to answer that question for everyone else. Instead, our elders decided to do something different. We asked our church family not to decide immediately. We asked them to pray.

    Rather than holding one emotional meeting, we created a month long discernment guide. Each day people reflected on a different question. Not logistical questions. Heart questions.

    • Do you still resonate with our mission?
    • Do you still believe in the values that have shaped this church?
    • Would you follow Jesus into an uncertain future even if it meant setting up chairs every Sunday in a temporary location?
    • Would saying “no” bring relief… or would it feel like you were walking away from something God was inviting you into?
    NVC Update_May 2026Download

    By the end of the month we asked everyone to honestly land in one of three places:

    • “I’m in.”
    • “I’m exploring.”
    • “I’m out.”

    Notice what we weren’t asking. We weren’t asking people to stay because of friendships. We weren’t asking them to stay because they felt guilty. We weren’t asking them to stay because they liked me as their pastor. We wanted them to follow Jesus, wherever He was leading.

    Freedom Is Better Than Pressure

    One sentence from the guide became especially important to me. We told people that if God was leading them elsewhere, we wanted them to feel completely free to go. That sounds simple. It’s surprisingly difficult.

    Leaders can often feel pressure to retain people. Attendance becomes a scorecard. Every family that leaves feels personal. But churches aren’t built through pressure. They’re built through conviction. I’d rather have someone joyfully say “yes” because they believe God called them than reluctantly stay because they felt obligated.

    The Response

    On June 1, after a month of prayer and reflection, 40 men and women committed to moving forward into the next season of North Village Church. Not because we had all the answers. Not because everything was settled. Because they believed God was leading them.

    For me, that number represented far more than attendance. It represented ownership. Shared conviction. People choosing mission over comfort. As a pastor, I don’t know exactly what the next chapter will look like. But I know this: I’d rather lead forty people who have prayerfully discerned God’s direction than a larger crowd that simply drifted into the future.

    Personal Application

    This experience reminded me that leadership isn’t always about persuading people. Sometimes it’s about slowing everyone down long enough to listen. In a culture that rewards quick decisions and confident predictions, leaders have an opportunity to model something different.

    And perhaps that’s true far beyond church leadership. Whether you’re leading a business, a family, or simply trying to discern your own next step, the question isn’t first, “What should I do?” It’s:

    “Lord, where are You already at work, and how are You inviting me to join You?”

    Sometimes that question changes everything.

    When Anxiety Starts Growing

    I tend to get overwhelmed easily. My brain will focus on a conversation and I will replay the conversation in my head over and over. Pretty soon my worries have evolved like a Pokemon evolution into a whole new problem that is always bigger and scarier than the original problem.

    When I find myself in that place, I try to center my thoughts on three areas:

    • What is my responsibility.
    • What isn’t my responsibility.
    • How to move forward.

    Then, I make a list of what is my responsibility. I can take a shower. I can get dressed. I can spend time in God’s Word and prayer. This initial movement alone gets my brain out of the “ideating” stage where I loop stress and anxiety and helps me start taking steps forward.

    What Is My Responsibility

    When I start to think about the specific conversation or event that is causing me stress I try to write down the details of those events. Who is involved? What happened? What was said? Again, these steps help me identify the nuts and bolts instead of getting swept up in emotion. I call it, “Taking Inventory.”

    As long as the stress stays in my head the stress is always a blob of emotion swirling around, but simply writing down the nuts and bolts of the stress help me find this stage to be more manageable. I start to catch my breath. I start to see a path forward. I start to feel a little bit of hope in an area that felt hopeless.

    What Isn’t My Responsibility

    At this stage it helps me to clarify what I can’t change. I can’t change how someone responds. I can’t change how they are responding to the event / conversation. But I can show up prepared. I can listen well. I can reconsider based on what I learn from this interaction.

    This little exercise takes only a few minutes. I typically write it into my phone in a text or Notes App. But I can feel my physical body start to relax as I go through this process. Most of my anxiety and stress comes from different scenarios in my head that might or might not happen. Most of the time, my anxiety isn’t coming from the stress of the event, but stress from something that is only happening in my head.

    How to Move Forward

    Now, I can focus on doing the best work I can bring to the table. If I don’t go through this process I can get stuck. But going through this process gives me a roadmap. I might get overwhelmed again, but now I have a reference point for me to come back to and re-evaluate.

    The interesting thing about anxiety is that it usually wants to pull me away from the present moment. My mind starts racing toward outcomes, assumptions, worst case scenarios, and conversations that haven’t even happened yet.

    But this process helps bring me back to reality: what is actually happening? What is my responsibility? What steps can I take forward? Sometimes the situation still feels hard. Sometimes the conversation still doesn’t go the way I hoped. Sometimes I still feel overwhelmed later in the day.

    But now, instead of spiraling in every direction, I can focus on the next faithful step in front of me.

    Clean Comedy Show – May 30, 2026

    We are bringing together local and national talent for a cause that matters. All proceeds from the evening will support GirlStart, an Austin-based nonprofit committed to empowering girls in STEM!

    Purchase Tickets: HERE

    The show will be headlined by Cam F. Awesome, who was a national boxer, but recently been taking his experiences to the stage to provide inspiration and laughter to audiences around the country. Joining him on the lineup:

    The event will be held at North Village Church, offering a welcoming environment for an unforgettable community-centered night of laughter.

    This show continues the growing tradition of Austin comics partnering with local organizations to bring joy, build community, and make a tangible difference in the community.

    Event Details:
    Date: Saturday, May 30, 2026
    Time: 6:00pm
    Location: North Village Church, Austin, TX
    Benefiting: GirlStart

    Purchase Tickets: HERE

    For additional information, interview requests, or media inquiries, please contact:
    admin@northvillagechurch.com

    Following Jesus Should Feel Uncomfortable

    I recently started doing stand-up comedy in Austin, TX. And I am a pastor. Which means most nights I am standing in a bar talking about my life, and at some point, people realize, “Wait… this guy is a pastor.” It creates a moment. You might be asking, “Why would a pastor do this?” You can read about it HERE and HERE.

    Austin has become a major hub for comedy, with names like Shane Gillis, Joe Rogan, and Tony Hinchcliffe shaping the scene. The rooms are full, the crowds are sharp, and the conversations are often as unfiltered as you can imagine. So why step into that as a pastor? At some point, I had to decide whether following Jesus meant staying in environments where I naturally fit, or stepping into ones where I did not. Stand-up comedy made that decision unavoidable.

    There is constant pressure in those rooms to blend in, to match the tone, to say what works, and to avoid being the one who shifts the atmosphere. But following Jesus has given me a different option. Instead of trying to manage perception, I can simply be honest. There have been plenty of moments where I have said something, or chosen not to say something, and it creates a pause. Not hostile, just noticeable. And in that space, there is nothing to fix. Just a quiet recognition that I am different.

    That is not always persuasive, and it does not guarantee agreement, but it is clear. And clarity matters. Paul says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel,” not because it always lands well, but because it is worth being known for. Jesus lived this way. He did not isolate Himself from the world, and He did not mirror it either. He entered into real places, real conversations, and real tension, while remaining anchored in who He was. He asked questions people were not asking, said things people were not expecting, and stayed present in environments where others might have pulled back.

    Following Him means we will feel that same tension. Not because we are trying to stand out, but because we already do. What has been surprising to me is how often this creates opportunity. I have had conversations about a biblical view of marriage and sexuality, finances, some political conversations, and caring for those in need. It’s not because I am actively trying to drive conversations toward those topics, but that, at least in Austin, TX, there are people who are wondering and thinking about those topics today, and then out of a nowhere a follower of Jesus is dropped into their life.

    In a few cases, other comedians have quietly shared that they follow Jesus too. Not on stage, not publicly, but they are there. And sometimes just being present and clear has caused them to reconsider what that actually means for their life and their work. That has been the unexpected part. Not influence through volume, but through presence.

    So maybe the question is not whether you feel comfortable identifying as a follower of Jesus in your environment. Maybe the better question is where God has already placed you where that clarity would actually matter. Your workplace, your friendships, your neighborhood, or conversations you did not plan. People do not just need content about Jesus. They need to encounter people who actually follow Him. And that will almost always feel a little uncomfortable.

    What does Jesus mean when politicians quote “least of these?”

    If you live in Texas then I am sure you have heard about James Talarico running for U.S. Senate in 2026. Talarico has been a little unique as a politician because he has been front and center with his faith in Jesus, and how it has shaped his view toward policy in the state of Texas.

    One particular reference Talarico has made about Scripture is from Matthew 25 when Jesus references the “least of these.” Talarico isn’t the first to reference this passage. In many settings the passage is presented as a simple moral message: followers of Jesus should help people in need.

    44 Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’

    When we read Matthew 25 within the flow of Matthew’s Gospel, another possibility becomes visible. The scene is less about general humanitarian care and more about how people respond to Jesus by the way they treat His followers.

    The Context: Jesus Is Being Rejected

    The later chapters of Matthew are dominated by a growing conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders of Israel. By the time we reach chapters 21 to 23, the conflict is no longer subtle. Jesus openly rebukes religious leaders for rejecting Jesus as God in the flesh who has come to fulfill the promises of Messiah. So the storyline of Matthew becomes a question of recognition and allegiance. Will people recognize the King, or will they reject Him?

    Establishing the Principle

    Earlier in the Gospel Jesus explains something that becomes crucial for interpreting Matthew 25. When He sends out His disciples, He tells them: Whoever receives you receives me. That teaching appears in the Gospel of Matthew 10:40-42.

    40 “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. 41 He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”

    Jesus goes even further. He says that even giving a cup of water to one of His “little ones” will be remembered. In other words, how someone treats the messenger reveals how they respond to the One who sent the messenger. This idea is central to Matthew’s writing. Jesus’ followers represent Him in the world.

    Key Phrase: “The Least of These My Brothers”

    The entire passage hinges on one phrase, “The least of these my brothers.” How we interpret that phrase determines what the passage means. Many readers assume it refers to the poor or marginalized in general. But Matthew’s Gospel consistently uses “brothers” to refer to Jesus’ disciples.

    For example, In Gospel of Matthew 12:49-50, Jesus calls His followers His brothers. In Matthew 28:10, after the resurrection, Jesus again refers to the disciples as His brothers. Within Matthew’s own language, the phrase most naturally refers to those who belong to Jesus.

    Overview

    If “my brothers” refers to Jesus’ followers, then the judgment scene takes on a different emphasis. The nations are not being evaluated primarily on general humanitarian activity. They are being evaluated on how they responded to Jesus by how they treated His people.

    This fits the larger storyline of the Gospel. The religious leaders reject Jesus. They persecute His followers. They refuse to recognize the King, therefore, in the final judgment, the King exposes what their actions revealed all along. Those who welcomed His followers demonstrated openness to Him. Those who rejected or ignored them revealed their rejection of the King.

    Compassion Still Matters

    Recognizing this interpretation doesn’t mean compassion toward the poor is unimportant. Scripture consistently calls believers to care for those in need. But Matthew 25 isn’t about establishing a social ethic. Instead, it’s revealing something deeper about the identity of Jesus and the loyalty He demands. The King identifies Himself with His people so closely that caring for them is counted as caring for Him, and rejecting them is counted as rejecting Him.

    Doing stand up comedy as a follower of Jesus in Austin, TX

    Followers of Jesus often face a tension when working in environments that are not shaped by Christian values. Comedy clubs, music venues, corporate settings, universities, and many other spaces raise the same question: How can someone be present in a culture without simply becoming a participant in it?

    This question is especially important to me, because I work as a pastor in Austin, TX. My wife and I started the church in 2009, and at the time we had two little children, so it was easy to connect with young families in our neighborhood. By God’s grace we were able to enter into spiritual conversations with those families and for a season it resulted in men and women coming to faith and pop up bible studies. Sometimes we would have 12-15 adults in a living room looking at God’s Word with 30 kids running outside. It was wild!

    Fast forward to 2024 and I did an open mic near our house at Cap City Comedy Club as a bucket list type of challenge. The experience went horrible. But for some reason, I wanted to keep trying. Eventually I started talking about being a pastor in a 3-minute comedy set, and 2 years later here I am. Usually 2-3 nights a week I will meet up with comedians and we will try to do our best at making people laugh.

    But Austin, TX isn’t known for clean comedy. Austin actually has some nationally known comics in our city like Joe Rogan, Shane Gillis, Tony Hinchcliffe, and more. It isn’t exactly Nate Bargatze material on 6th on a weekend night, so what does that look like for me as a follower of Jesus?

    The New Testament doesn’t call followers of Jesus to isolation, but it also doesn’t call them to blend into culture. Instead, it presents a third option known as “Faithful Presence.” Jesus entered ordinary public spaces. He ate with tax collectors, attended gatherings, and spent time with people who lived far from the religious center of society. Yet those around him consistently noticed something different about Him. His presence influenced the room rather than the room defining him.

    The challenge for believers today is learning to discern whether they are participating in culture or bringing a distinct presence into culture. Several patterns can help make that distinction clearer.

    1. Direction of Influence: Who’s influencing who?

    A participant in culture gradually absorbs the values of the environment. Language, priorities, and assumptions begin to mirror the surrounding world. A presence in culture moves in the opposite direction. While remaining fully engaged, their posture, tone, and character introduce something different into the environment.

    This doesn’t mean constant confrontation or overt religious messaging. Often it simply means that over time people notice a steadiness, humility, or integrity that stands apart from the surrounding culture. Jesus was often accused of spending time with sinners, yet the stories repeatedly show people being drawn toward change rather than Jesus being drawn into their patterns.

    2. The Trajectory of One’s Work: What’s the tone of the work?

    For anyone whose work involves creative expression, the work itself becomes revealing. In comedy, writing, music, or storytelling, the deeper worldview underneath the material eventually becomes visible.

    When someone is a presence in culture, their work tends to humanize people. Humor exposes human weakness without celebrating cruelty. The tone may include honesty, self awareness, and humility.

    When someone becomes a participant in culture, the work often begins drifting toward whatever the surrounding environment rewards most. Cynicism, degradation, or shock value can slowly become the easiest path to approval. Over time, the trajectory of the work often reveals the deeper direction of influence.

    3. How Others Perceive You: Are you experiencing favor from others?

    Another helpful indicator is how people within the culture describe you. A person functioning as a presence is often respected even by those who disagree with them. Others notice reliability, honesty, or a different moral center. They may not share the same beliefs, but they sense a consistency.

    By contrast, someone who has become a participant in culture becomes indistinguishable from the surrounding environment. Their identity is primarily defined by the culture they inhabit rather than the deeper convictions that guide them.

    4. Private Spiritual Vitality: Are you still growing in your faith?

    Perhaps the clearest indicator is what happens privately. Scripture describes the life of the Spirit producing qualities such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. When someone remains rooted in these realities, their internal life continues to deepen even while they live and work in challenging environments.

    5. The Role of Community: Is there willingness to receive feedback?

    The New Testament consistently places believers within community. Spiritual formation rarely happens in isolation. A presence in culture remains connected to people who can ask honest questions and offer perspective. Spiritual conversations continue. Others are able to speak into both life and work.

    A participant in culture gradually shifts their primary feedback loop toward the surrounding environment. Career success, audience approval, or cultural status become the dominant voices shaping decisions.

    6. The Question of Motivation: Does it become a distraction?

    Motivation also reveals direction. A presence in culture is often driven by a desire to understand people and serve them well. There is curiosity about the human condition and a sense of stewardship for whatever platform or opportunity exists.

    A participant in culture is often driven by a desire for belonging, approval, or recognition within the environment itself. Identity becomes increasingly tied to acceptance by the culture rather than faithfulness within it. Both motivations can coexist at times, but the direction that grows stronger over time becomes revealing.

    7. Long Term Fruit: Is there spiritual curiosity from others?

    Jesus frequently spoke about fruit as the ultimate measure of a life. Faithful presence often produces meaningful relationships and deeper conversations over time. People come to trust the person because they experience integrity and care.

    Participation without discernment tends to produce deeper immersion in the same cultural patterns. The individual may achieve success within the environment but gradually lose spiritual clarity and distinctiveness.

    Longterm Goal

    For me, my work as a pastor hasn’t changed. I still want to gain trust and credibility to speak into the lives of the people in my life. I pray for those people. I look for ways to encourage them and support them in their pursuits. I look for opportunities to challenge them in ways they would be receptive. I consider it a privilege to be in their life, and I want to point them to Jesus in everything.

    The “sermon” isn’t that different either. On Sunday morning it is more clear that I am taking God’s Word and going verse by verse to point people to the hope we have in Jesus, but in comedy my goal is still the same. I am trying to take biblical and cultural values and package them in a way that are hopefully comedic or at least insightful, so that the people who are listening might think more deeply about those areas of life. I can’t say I have mastered this, but I am continually trying to grow in this area.

    In the end, pursuing this area of life has been a lot of fun. Our church family has been really supportive. Once a quarter we have been hosting Clean Comedy Shows for our community and partnering with a local non-profit where all the donations are given to them. Our next one will be in May. You should come!

    When Parents and Children Don’t Become “Soul Mates.”

    I was on Tik-Tok recently, and I saw this comic strip that described this mom struggling to connect with her daughter. The comic displayed a mother and daughter living together but the two never experienced a closeness with each other. At the end of the mother’s life the mother apologized for never feeling close to the daughter and unbeknownst to the mother, the daughter felt the same way, which in some way, actually made them closer together. Maybe for the first time?

    Every parent I know asks some version of the same quiet question, “Why don’t I feel relationally close to my adult children?” It’s a question that is more common than we realize. Especially when nothing harmful has happened in the relationship.

    But before we answer it, we have to name the cultural air we breathe: modern American parenting assumes emotional intimacy is both normal and guaranteed. You pour in love, presence, time, and sacrifice, and the connection should feel mutual. Anything less feels like something went wrong.

    But that assumption is largely shaped by Hollywood and the last 100 years of wealth in the United States that has given parents and children this expectation in the family. American culture tends to elevate relationships into idealized narratives; romance, success, individuality, and yes, parenting. That narrative inflation often creates pressure, guilt, and confusion that previous eras simply didn’t have.

    Think of films like Finding Nemo and Interstellar, or the way most modern stories reshape the family dynamic into emotional destiny with one another. For most of history, the parent–child relationship was built on: responsibility, protection, guidance, apprenticeship, and community participation.

    It was rarely constructed around deep emotional connection with one another. But modern American culture elevates the parent–child bond into something almost romantic. Emotional alignment is expected. Deep conversations with one another is the assumption.

    The rise of the nuclear family in the 1940’s didn’t help. Families started having less children. Families became more disconnected from aunts, uncles and grandparents, so that the emotional responsibility on the parent-child relationship grew stronger. After the 1950’s the average family had more time and more resources to put pressure on this relationship. Then, in the 1970’s emotions became central to identity and parenting started to center around the child’s inner world.

    And when the ideal bond in the hearts of parents and children isn’t realized, as is often the experience, the parent and the child assume this is some type of failure on their part. But there are no studies in relational development that should give us this expectation and there are no biblical promises that faithful parenting produces emotional symmetry.

    Studies in Relational Development

    Human relationships, even family ones, are not mechanically guaranteed just because the people involved share DNA. Decades of developmental research (from Chess & Thomas onward) show that temperament differences are often the #1 predictor of felt closeness, more than parenting style.

    • introverted child / extroverted parent
    • sensitive child / pragmatic parent
    • highly structured parent / spontaneous child
    • achievement-driven parent / relationally-driven child

    No injury is required. Just difference. And if a sibling’s temperament matches the parent more closely, the contrast becomes even clearer. The reality is some parents and children share a natural rhythm and some don’t. Some click with ease, and some take effort. Emotional chemistry between a child and parent is a gift, not a moral achievement.

    In addition, cognitive style between parent and child and how they process the world also has a huge influence. If one child processes the world more intellectually and the parent processes emotionally, it is going to create relational dissonance. Both might be healthy. The parent and child just don’t harmonize.

    Then, you tie in some American Idealism with a splash of Disney and it creates this expectation of constant closeness and “best friend” energy that was never realistic. In fact, studies show when parents give birth to a child they have a 60% chance they won’t have personality / processing similarity with their children, thus creating a disconnect in their relationship with one another.

    Biblical Perspective

    Scripture gives commands about formation, instruction, protection, and modeling, but never commands a particular feeling between parent and child. In fact, Scripture presents a picture of humanity that makes uneven relational connection completely expected.

    First, we often hear the phrase “mini-me” when talking about a child taking on the characteristics of a parent, but God’s Word actually teaches us that every child is made in the image of God, not a replica of the parent.

    Therefore, a parent should expect their child to come with different temperament different personality, different ways of processing emotions and different ways of forming relationships.

    The mistake modern parents make is assuming children are “blank slates” shaped primarily by parental love and technique. So when a parent says, “We raised our two kids the same, but one feels close and the other feels distant,” the answer isn’t failure.
    It’s personhood.

    Genesis 3 didn’t just break creation, it fractured relational harmony in our relationships with one another. Desire and connection became inconsistent, unpredictable, and uneven. The relational “fit” between two people is never guaranteed. Even in faithful, godly families, emotional alignment varies wildly.

    A strained relationship between child and parent doesn’t mean something went wrong. It means the child is a moral agent before God with different needs, emotions, and decisions. Sometimes those relationships can be very close, and sometimes they can feel functional. None of this means something went wrong.

    A parent can be faithful, wise, loving, consistent and a child can be warm and respectful toward their parents, but one or both won’t always experience deep emotional intimacy with the other.

    The call of a parent is to teach their child, disciple them, provide instruction, correction, encouragement and model a relationship with Jesus. The call of a parent is never a promise of emotional closeness.

    Sometimes the parent and child will experience this with one another or have seasons where they feel closer to one another, but we shouldn’t treat them as biblical requirements or moral outcomes.

    Closing: Parent and child didn’t fail, they’re humans.

    When a parent and child don’t “click” with one another, it doesn’t automatically point to injury or failure. It points to distinct personalities. Let’s celebrate personality differences instead of building shame about those differences. Each relationship is a gift to discover instead of a grief to lament.

    The gospel reminds us that we live in a fallen world. One day Jesus will come and make all things new. Jesus has given us Himself to the parent and the child, so that our ultimate desire is in Him and not the family dynamic.

    Are there going to be moments when the child or the parent will watch a movie or see a friend with deep connection between parent and child? Yes! It happens. It might even happen in the same family, but we have a Savior who works in those differences over time, prayer, patience and perseverance with one another. What a glorious bond for a child and a parent to experience with one another: It wasn’t always easy, it wasn’t always natural, but there was a love and respect for one another to keep showing up and keep trying. Isn’t that a better story?

    Getting Over Grumpiness: How to Stop Resenting Where You Are While Still Hoping for More

    Everyone has a season of life where we start to feel grumpy: We want our marriage to feel closer, but every week feels like the same argument. We want our job to be meaningful, but Sunday night still feels like dread. We want our parenting to be calmer, but we keep losing our patience at the same places. And we end up living in this exhausting middle space: We hope things will get better, but it doesn’t feel like anything will actually change.

    Most people don’t even know how to talk about this tension. They assume the frustration means something is wrong with them. Or they plataue into mediocrity, convincing themselves nothing will ever change.

    But the real issue isn’t desire or effort, or Steve at work always talking about the best way to roast coffee beans for the 27th time. The real issue is how we hold the hope for change and the reality of where we are, without getting stuck in an eternal state of grumpiness.

    It starts with being CONTENT so that we are able to find HOPE.

    If a person is internally unsettled about an area of life, their hope isn’t really hope, it’s desperation. It’s a Hail Mary. It is in those moment that we rush decisions. We cling to an outcome that has to happen, or else! Of course we are filled with anxiety, because it all has to work together the way we want, when we want, and how we want.

    In addition, taking steps toward being content with where we are in life of our career, marriage, health, finances, friends is the first step to accepting that we don’t need to change to be okay.

    This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have goals in life. There’s nothing wrong with goals. It’s great to have dreams, but before we get to goals and dreams we want to combat the lie that says, “I will be okay when this or that happens in my life.”

    The power of being content breaks that lie and says, “I am okay with who I am today, even if nothing ever changes.” Take a second just to consider the weight of that statement. Do you enjoy the person you are today? Do you enjoy the quality of your marriage, health, finances, children, and career today? If nothing ever changed in those areas, would you be content? If not, we will always set ourselves up for the “next big thing.”

    When we are ready to accept where we are in life and who we are in life we are able to see hope enter into the story of our life. Now, after we’ve done the work of being content we can see that hope isn’t a condition for us to pursue, but instead, hope is simply fuel for us to enjoy the possibility of what might come in the days ahead.

    HOPE isn’t mandatory of what HAS TO HAPPEN, but instead, hope is FUEL for what MIGHT HAPPEN!

    Hope interpreted as a necessity becomes a weight that can feel like pressure, which creates anxiety. But if we start with contentment, then hope becomes empowering, not condemning. The sequence matters because your value as a person isn’t dependent on the results. You can dream about a brighter future but you’re not held hostage by that dream. Here are 5 principles to help us remember:

    1. Finding contentment with who we are and where we are removes the panic that something has to change. When we are panicked in life, then every conversation feels like an emergency.
    2. Finding contentment with who we are and where we are removes the frustration we have toward life. When it comes to our marriage, health, career, children, finances; we don’t have to hate where we are to build a better tomorrow.
    3. Finding contentment with who we are and where we are brings clarity, so that hope is given clearer direction. It is in those moments that we stop chasing cobwebs and go kill the spider!
    4. Finding contentment with who we are and where we are removes the pressure. As long as we feel “behind” as a person or in an area of life we are going to be fueled by outside circumstances. Instead, we want to release hope to be a preferred future that doesn’t have to happen.
    5. Finding contentment with who we are and where we are is accessible today. Nothing has to change. It’s totally perspective. It’s this transition that allows hope to shape a long-term process of growth.

    At the end of the day, getting over grumpiness isn’t about pretending everything is fine or forcing yourself to feel optimistic. It’s about remembering that you can be grounded in who you are and where you are today, while still moving toward a better tomorrow.

    Contentment gives you the peace to breathe again; hope gives you the courage to take the next step. And when those two work together, you stop waiting for life to change before you show up to it. You start living today with the freedom and clarity you thought only existed in the future.

    How to Live This Today (Simple, Practical Application)

    Step 1 — Name the area where you’re frustrated.

    Marriage.
    Career.
    Health.
    Finances.
    Parenting.

    Step 2 — Say this sentence out loud:

    “I can be grounded and settled with who I am and where I am, even if nothing changes today.”

    Step 3 — Identify ONE hopeful action.

    • One honest conversation.
    • One boundary.
    • One habit.
    • One budget move.
    • One apology.
    • One walk.
    • One resume sent.
    • One evening without your phone.

    References to consider:

    1. Philippians 4: Peace and pursuit held together through contentment.
    2. Edwin Friedman, “A Failure of Nerve.”
    3. Dallas Willard, “Renovation of the Heart.”

    Stop Blaming the “Pre-Frontal Cortex!” – How Parents Can Tell Immaturity from Character.

    How many times have we heard someone describe a young man’s decision in life and then say, “But their pre-frontal cortex isn’t developed yet!” This is a phrase that was once discussed in educational and professional environments around neuroscience, but over the years it is a phrase that is getting used far too frequently like it’s the new “get out of jail card” for life.

    A 16-year-old ghosts his responsibilities? Pre-frontal cortex. A 17-year-old lies? Pre-frontal cortex. A 19-year-old refuses to apologize, avoids hard conversations, and blames everyone around him? Oh yes… still the pre-frontal cortex.

    At this point we use “brain development” the way past generations used “boys will be boys.” It’s a blanket explanation for anything uncomfortable for young men. But here’s the problem: The pre-frontal cortex explains immaturity. It does not explain character flaws.

    When we confuse those two categories, we end up raising young adults who grow older, but never grow up. Below are six principles that help parents, and leaders discern the difference.

    1. Immaturity is inconsistent; character issues create patterns.

    The pre-frontal cortex does impact impulse, planning, and focus, but not consistently. Teens waver. One week they’re helpful, the next they vanish into the digital abyss. That’s normal development.

    But when a behavior becomes predictable; lying, avoidance, entitlement, deflection, this isn’t neurological lag, it’s a young person rehearsing a pattern they may carry into adulthood.

    Inconsistency = immaturity.
    Consistency in the wrong direction = character.

    2. Immaturity struggles with impulse; character issues struggle with ownership.

    Brain science can explain why a teen makes a dumb decision in the moment. It cannot explain why a teen refuses responsibility for that decision. A teen who says, “Yeah… I messed up,” is immature. A teen who says, “That’s not my fault,” is forming a worldview.

    The first grows.
    The second calcifies.

    This is why parents shouldn’t hide behind neurological language as an excuse. A young man can’t grow from an area he won’t own.

    3. Immaturity resists tasks; character issues resist truth.

    Most young men hate chores, homework, and anything that requires effort. Friction is part of the species. But when a young man avoids truth, feedback, accountability, honest conversations, that’s not a pre-frontal cortex issue. That’s self-protection becoming a strategy.

    Parents, friends and family often misinterpret this as “normal masculine behavior.” It’s not. Truth-resistance is a character trajectory.

    4. Immaturity is emotionally loud; character issues grow emotionally flat.

    A young man slamming doors, crying, venting, or arguing? That’s actually a positive sign.
    It means they still care about outcomes, identity, and relationships—even if they’re terrible at expressing it.

    Emotion isn’t the red flag people think it is. Apathy is. When a young man becomes detached, numb, uninvested, or indifferent, that’s not the pre-frontal cortex. That’s a heart that has learned disengagement as a coping mechanism. And disengagement hardens faster than immaturity grows out of anything.

    5. Immaturity responds to normal consequences; character issues require relational challenge.

    Typical immaturity corrects with simple friction:

    • The grade drops – the phone gets taken.
    • Speeding – gets a ticket.
    • Shows up late – loses their job.

    And the next time, they do better.

    Character issues don’t respond that way. The consequences land…and nothing changes. This is when friends and family must switch from behavior management to direct, adult conversation: “You’re not just making choices, you’re becoming someone through these choices.” Character forms where clarity meets responsibility.

    6. Immaturity maintains connection; character issues fracture relationship.

    Even with ups and downs, immature young men reconnect. They still laugh with you, share moments, check in, show warmth. Character issues show up relationally:

    • Avoidance
    • Hiding
    • Closed-off posture
    • Interactions that feel like transactions
    • Zero vulnerability

    Young men who keep pulling away aren’t just being moody, they’re building a self without other close relationships in it. That’s a character project, not a developmental stage.

    Why this distinction matters

    When friends and family treat immaturity like a character issue, they overreact and hurt the relationship. When friends and family treat character issues like immaturity, they under react and hurt the relationship. And when everything gets blamed on the “pre-frontal cortex,” we accidentally teach young men:

    • Your impulses aren’t your fault
    • Your choices don’t shape your identity
    • Your patterns have no consequences
    • Your future will magically sort itself out

    It’s the soft bigotry of low expectations wrapped in scientific vocabulary. The irony?
    Real neuroscience shows that responsibility, ownership, relationship, correction, and truth are exactly what help the pre-frontal cortex mature. Protecting a young man from consequences and accountability keeps their brain, and character stuck.

    The bottom line

    Immaturity grows out with time. Character grows only with truth and responsibility. And if friends and family can tell the difference, they can give the young men in their life the right kind of guidance, supportive when it’s development, direct when it’s formation.

    BONUS

    Here are some helpful questions to help us move from immaturity to character:

    1.  Am I making decisions to become the person I want to be 1-5-10 years from now?

    2.  Do I feel empowered to make any changes I think would be necessary?

    3.  If not, do I know where / how to get help?

    4.  Am I surrounding myself with people who are making these questions easier or harder?

    The Leadership Divide: Why Some People Rise and Others Stay Frustrated

    Leadership isn’t a title or a personality type. It’s a pattern. It’s an outlook. Essentially, leadership is a choice. Every day, people are quietly sorting themselves into one of two groups: those who rise and those who stay frustrated. And the differences rarely comes down to talent. More often it’s the invisible stuff; attitude, behavior, and the stories people tell themselves. Here are some observations to consider:

    1. Mindset: Victor or Victim?

    Every leader I’ve ever watched up close lives with this internal rule, “I’m responsible for my direction and outcomes.” Successful people assume agency. They walk into the room asking, “What can I do? What can I learn? What’s the opportunity?”

    Frustrated people walk in asking, “Why is this happening to me? Who’s blocking me? Why doesn’t anything change?” One outlook sees problems as puzzles. The other group sees problems as punishments.

    It’s not that one group avoids difficulty; it’s that they refuse to build an identity around it. Victimhood becomes a mental treadmill with lots of movement, but little to no progress.

    2. Attitude: It has more influence than we want to acknowledge.

    If you want to know where someone is heading, listen to how they talk when they’re not performing. Successful people talk about ideas. They talk about what they’re testing, what they’re building, what they’re stretching toward. When conversations drift, they redirect toward meaning, improvement, or the future.

    Frustrated people talk about people. They complain, compare, critique, and repeat their favorite discouragements like they’re reading off a teleprompter. It’s a harder rut to get out of than we want to acknowledge.

    Leadership is simply this: Are your conversations moving your life forward and toward meaning or keeping you exactly where you are?

    3. Free Time: What do we do for fun?

    There’s a clear divide in habits. Sure, it’s great to lay around and relax but we sleep 8-hours. We work 8-hours. What do we do with the other 8-hours?

    • Some people work out.
    • Some people work angles.
    • Some people work on relationships.

    And some people work themselves into mental exhaustion scrolling, binging, and consuming hours of content that makes them feel productive but changes nothing. The most frustrated people I meet spend their free time consuming news or Netflix while envying the lives of people who use their free time building something. They don’t actually want information. They want emotional relief.

    Disaster headlines help them feel less behind. I get it. World wide news makes us feel involved in a world we aren’t participating in, but really it’s just an echo chamber disguised as education.

    4. Words: What do we talk about?

    Some people talk about improving the quality of their lives; discipline, habits, clarity, financial margins, purpose. Others talk about politics and celebrities. I get it. It’s fun to talk about, but at the end of the day why are we giving the best we have to offer to people we will never meet or influence.

    It doesn’t mean politics and celebrities don’t matter. They are just safe. They allow us to drift because these are people that don’t require anything from us personally. People can argue passionately about elections, pop culture, and conspiracy theories, and those things can be fun for moments, but the real meat of life is going to be found in building into ourselves and others.

    5. The Relationship to Time: Future vs Past

    Successful people honor the past but don’t live there. This one is a tough for me, because I love nostalgia. I love thinking about the “good old days.” But, honestly, the old days weren’t that great. I am just zeroing in on a select few days.

    Frustrated people rehearse what went wrong, who hurt them, and why everything “used to be better.” The anchor of the past becomes the excuse to avoid the present. But leadership is the ability to look backward with gratitude and look forward to opportunities.

    6. Family: A Place to Grow or a Place to Blame

    Here’s a surprising divide: Some people treat family as a gift; messy, imperfect, demanding, but deeply meaningful. Others see family as oppressive, something holding them back from who they could be “if only.”

    The truth is, both views reveal more about a person’s mindset than their circumstances. People who treat family as a burden often treat everything as a burden. People who treat family as formation learn to carry responsibility with strength, not resentment. No family experience is perfect. But it becomes either a catalyst for growth or a convenient excuse to blame others.

    So What’s the Point?

    Leadership isn’t about charisma or being in control. Leadership is deciding which side of this divide you want to live on:

    • Will your attitude shape your life, or will your life shape your attitude?
    • Will your behavior reflect your goals, or your impulses reflect your behavior?
    • Will your conversations elevate you or will you elevate conversations?
    • Will you live in the past or learn from the past to dream about the future?
    • Will family be part of your strength or part of your story of limitation?

    The gap between successful and frustrated people is rarely dramatic. It’s usually a series of tiny, daily decisions. And every one of them is available to you.

    Gospel

    It’s possible a person could read this article and be filled with anger or arrogance. Filled with anger, because you feel judged and beat up by the language. Or filled with arrogance because you feel accomplished by the language. Neither one is the gospel.

    The gospel is that we all feel weighed down by life. We all encounter challenges, and if we are honest, the challenges of life are suffocating. Perhaps you have experienced those challenges yet, but at some point health challenges will come, loss will come, career set backs will come, and in many ways, all those challenges are layers of God’s grace calling us back to Himself.

    He is the only One who can carry that weight, therefore, He calls out to all who will hear, “Come to Me and you will find rest.” It is a rest that allows us to look at the challenges in life and lean into them. Not through our strength, but because we are cradled in the hands of the One who will carry us to the end.

    “Grassroots” Doesn’t Always Mean What We Think

    Walk into any grocery store and you’ll see it, packaging covered in reassuring words.

    All natural.
    Farm-fresh.
    Made with real ingredients.

    Most of these phrases aren’t lies. They’re just not the whole truth. “All natural” might mean the product used beet juice for coloring… and still contains nine types of preservatives. “Farm-fresh” might mean the farm was three thousand acres owned by a multinational corporation. The label signals purity. The reality is supply chains, processing, and marketing.

    That same pattern has become normal in American politics. One of the most beloved words in modern activism is “grassroots.” It evokes images of neighbors calling neighbors, volunteers knocking on doors, and everyday citizens organizing themselves with nothing but passion and conviction. But like the grocery-store label, “grassroots” often tells only the part of the story people want to hear.

    The Two Layers of Grassroots

    Most large-scale political movements, whether progressive or conservative, operate on two levels:

    1. The visible layer: volunteers, rallies, and local chapters

    This is the part the cameras see:

    • people holding signs
    • small groups meeting at libraries
    • decentralized energy
    • local organizers who care, often deeply

    This layer is real. People are genuinely involved. Just like a snack labeled “all natural” probably does include real fruit.

    2. The invisible layer: infrastructure, funding, and national coordination

    This is the part people don’t see:

    • nonprofits that create toolkits
    • national organizations providing legal resources
    • donor-funded groups paying for communications staff
    • coordinated messaging that appears “spontaneous”
    • networks that give local volunteers the ability to scale quickly

    This layer is also real. And it explains how protests or campaigns can come together in 10 days or appear in major cities within days. It is something true grassroots activism simply can’t do without help. This pattern exists on the left, right, and center.

    Democratic-aligned examples

    • People’s Action: neighborhood-based organizing supported by national foundations.
    • Alliance for Youth Action: local youth activism boosted by national grants.
    • Faith in Action: local congregational mobilizers supported by large faith-justice networks.

    Republican-aligned examples

    • Convention of States Action: volunteer-led chapters using major conservative funding and think-tank infrastructure.
    • Moms for Liberty: local school-board activism amplified by national donors and legal organizations.
    • The Libre Initiative: community engagement backed by a major national donor network.

    These organizations aren’t pretending people don’t care; many volunteers are genuinely passionate. But the speed, scale, and coordination depend on something deeper than neighbors texting neighbors. Just like the “farm-fresh” eggs that actually came from a massive distribution system. The term “grassroots” creates trust. It signals:

    • authenticity
    • independence
    • purity of motive
    • citizens acting without manipulation

    That’s why movements use it. But when we assume “grassroots” automatically means “no national influence” or “no financial backing,” we misunderstand the actual dynamics shaping public action.

    Why We Should Pay Attention

    Just as reading a food label helps you understand what’s actually in the package, looking beneath the “grassroots” sticker reveals the full ingredient list of a movement. So the next time you see a movement calling itself “grassroots,” treat it like that container labeled “all natural.”

    There’s probably some truth in it. But it’s worth remembering that behind every clean, confident label is a system much bigger than the words on the front. And the story gets clearer once you turn the box around and read what’s actually inside.

    Sharing Meals with Friends

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    Meals are one of the simplest ways to make space for connection.  Something happens around a table that rarely happens in hallways, lobbies, or text threads.  And it’s all taking place while we get to eat food!  

    Eating food is great.  Eating food with others is even better!  There’s something disarming about sharing a meal with someone.  Food is an immediate conversation starter.  What do you like?  Where do you go?  What are you getting?  

    We live fast paced, isolated lives.  Sharing a meal with someone is a small way to bring heaven on earth!  It is a time to slow down, open up, and allow others into the interior of our lives.  

    Scripture doesn’t treat meals as background noise. God consistently uses tables to gather, teach, and reveal Himself.  In the book of Exodus, we see the importance of a meal marking out the rescue Israel experienced from enslavement in Egypt.  It is a meal that is still celebrated till this day by the Jewish community, and it all revolves around food. 

    In the life of Jesus, we see multiple examples of Jesus sitting down to share a meal with others.  It could have been at the wedding, in a home, or with the disciples, but it was a consistent pattern in the life of Jesus to share meals with others. 

    In addition, throughout the New Testament we see God’s Word calling followers of Jesus to practice hospitality with one another.  It is enjoying the relationships in our lives and being open to new relationships.  

    Sharing a meal makes it easy to transition into questions and conversations about what’s going on in other areas of life.  Can you imagine sitting across from someone and asking them about their day without food?  It would feel like an interview!  But add some chips and salsa and now everything changes.  It’s the magic of food!  

    Sometimes we can get uncomfortable about inviting people into our home because we feel like our home isn’t big enough, nice enough, or let’s be honest, clean enough!  But you don’t need to be married with two kids and a 2,000 SQFT house to share a meal with someone.  This is something anyone can do!

    An easy place to start sharing a meal with someone is our family.  It could be our parents, our children, or distant family members.  It might be a little more challenging if our children are younger, but really, it’s just a matter of training our children to engage in conversation.  When our children were younger we wouldn’t ask, “How was your day?”  We would ask, “What was the funniest thing that happened today?”  Sometimes, when we dropped them off at school we would even say, “Be on the lookout for the funniest thing today!”

    As our children got older we would ask more complicated questions like, “Did you meet anyone new today?”  What was the hardest part of your day?  Where did you see God’s grace at work in your life today?  What are you thankful for today?

    When we are connecting with friends from work or church it is great to ask questions like, “Where did you grow up?”  Do you have any siblings?  Do you get to see your family often?  What brought you to this city?  

    I call them “Go 2 Questions.”  I wish I was the person that was great at being present in every situation and could ask questions off the top of my head, but I need a road-map.  I try to come up with 4-5 questions around every meal to help guide the conversation.  I might not get through all the questions.  I am hoping for questions to branch out as we get started, but it helps to calm my nerves to have a conversation map to follow.  

    When we are connecting with older adults in our family it is easy to drift toward questions like, “Are you okay?”  Do you need anything?  Those questions are important, but I find it enjoyable to talk about their areas of interest, what’s shaped them over the years, or stories of how they grew up.  The delight you see in their face when their eyes light up with an opportunity to talk about a heartfelt memory.  It’s a lot of fun! 

    The best part of getting to know someone over a meal is that you get a 10,000-foot view of someone’s life.  It would be impossible for someone to share their whole story, but in those moments, you get to see how God’s hand is moving over the life of someone.  It’s pretty special!  

    After sharing a meal with someone it is great to write down any key events or details that were shared so you can pray for those people.  It can be something simple like, “Job, doctor visit, personal goal, etc.”  It is a great way to start building deeper friendships with others.  

    Try one intentional meal this week!  Take a moment and prayerfully consider friends and family in your life.  You can start with a family member, or you can grab lunch with a co-worker.  The key is to begin the spiritual discipline of building new relationships in your life for His glory!