Oct. 25, 2026 - Tested

This week at home, we got talking about artists. An artist can make what’s popular, the thing everybody will love and follow and buy (hello, TikTok). Or an artist can make what they actually believe in, the thing that speaks to them and that they want to say to the world.

Which would you choose?

I’ve been chewing on that question because of what Paul says in First Thessalonians, and because of the two commandments Jesus gives in Matthew 22: love God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.

Here’s the thing. A lot of what the Christian life asks of us isn’t popular. Choosing peace. Choosing to live with love instead of power. Paul describes ministry as tenderness, care, and mutual trust, and that’s certainly not how most organizations are run. But it’s our conviction. It’s our art.

And people notice. Someone gave me a hug this week and told me how glad they were to be around the people of our church because they are so kind, and they don’t see a lot of kindness in the world. We don’t live this way to be louder or to dominate. We do it so we can be there for other people.

Loving God with all that we are doesn’t only happen when we’re singing, praying, or serving in the kitchen. It means all the time. Faith is more than attending church or memorizing the right words. It shapes our everyday choices, and over time it shapes who we are.

We show up for each other by calling, texting, listening, and noticing who’s struggling. I like to think of it as a care net, with all of us holding a piece of it, not just the pastor.

And receiving care is a ministry too. Maybe you’ve been the caregiver for years and now you need some help. Letting someone care for you is part of this beautiful exchange. We get to be both.

Sometimes loving our neighbor is hard. Love doesn’t mean accepting harmful behavior. Sometimes it takes boundaries, honesty, or the courage to speak up for someone being mistreated. None of that is a test we have to pass to earn God’s love. These are chances to live out the love we’ve already been given.

When we hear these commandments, it’s easy to boil them down to “love God and love others.” But that’s not what the text says. It says love yourself, too.

A lot of us spent years believing self-denial was what it meant to be a Christian. Humility matters, but so does caring for your body and your soul, forgiving so you aren’t hauling extra weight around, and noticing the self-talk running in your head. Does it sound like someone who’s loved by God? Because you are.

Let love shape you in the mundane moments. Your faith doesn’t live only on the mountaintop. It lives in washing the dishes and folding the laundry, and every bit of that is sacred and loved by God.

One act of kindness, one difficult conversation, one moment of courage at a time. We don’t have to solve every problem. We can start with the people God puts right in front of us.

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