A VIEW FROM A PEW : “First of All…”

Every now and then, God gives you a message that feels like it comes wrapped in a sticky note from heaven—short, simple, but so full of truth you can feel it tug at your spirit. And sometimes, the most powerful sermons aren’t the ones shouted from a pulpit, but the ones whispered to your heart when life slows you down long enough to listen.

And what the Spirit dropped on me this week came in three parts. Three little reminders. Three anchors to keep us from drifting too far off center in a world that pulls us every which way

1. First of All… Have Compassion.

Treat people the way you want to be treated. Not the way they treated you. Not the way you think they deserve. Not the way the world taught you to clap back, cancel, and cut off.

Compassion is not weakness; compassion is wisdom. It’s choosing to operate from a place of grace even when ego tells you to choose something else. Treat people kindly, because the truth is simple:

On your way up, you’re going to pass a whole lot of people.
And on your way down—yes, life has its valleys too—you will meet those same people again.

Life is not a straight line; it moves in seasons.
One day you’re celebrated, the next day you’re criticized. One moment you’re leading, the next you’re leaning. One season you’re the helper, the next you’re the one hoping for help.

And in those moments, all that really matters is the seed you planted in the hearts of others. Because kindness has a way of coming back home.

It’s nice to be important—sure, that’s fine. But it’s more important to be decent. To be human. To be gentle in a world that has forgotten how to soften its voice.

Compassion is a ministry. And it costs you nothing but pays you everything.

2. Second… Be Responsible for Your Own Self-Determination.

You cannot wait on somebody else to build the life God designed for you. You have to work for it. Pray for it. Prepare for it. And most importantly—own it.

We have gotten comfortable pointing at everybody but the person in the mirror. “My boss won’t let me…” “The city won’t give me…” “They won’t open the door for me…”

Beloved, sometimes the door is locked because you’re supposed to build your own.

You can’t subcontract your destiny. You can’t delegate your discipline. You can’t expect someone else to carry your calling while you enjoy the benefits.

Your purpose is your responsibility. Your growth is your assignment. Your progress is your accountability.

Self-determination means deciding—right here, right now—that your future will not be shaped by your excuses but by your actions. It means understanding that God will give you the strength, but you still have to lift the weight.

You don’t borrow greatness. You earn it. Daily.

3. And Lastly… Stop Competing With Everybody Else.

This one is tender because we live in a world addicted to comparison. Scrolling ourselves into insecurity. Measuring our worth with somebody else’s ruler. Thinking we are behind because someone else posted a highlight reel.

Hear me clearly:

Life is not about beating the other guy.

It is not about who made it first, who got the promotion, who bought the house, who has the title, the trophies, the spotlight, or the followers.

God is not staging a race between you and the next person. He’s developing you for your assignment.

It’s not about being better than someone else.
It’s about being better than the version of you that stopped believing.

When you stop chasing competition and start chasing purpose, something miraculous happens:

Your peace returns. Your joy expands. Your gifts grow stronger. Your life becomes fuller.

Because your path becomes yours again.

You are not called to outrun anyone. You are called to become the best version of who God created you to be.

And when you operate from that truth?
You stop envying others and start evolving yourself.

So Here’s the Whole Message…

Have compassion. Take responsibility. Stop competing.

If you do those three things, you won’t just survive this life—you’ll thrive in it. You’ll move with more grace, more focus, and more purpose. You’ll stop tripping over people, places, and pressures that were never meant to define you. And you’ll finally feel the freedom of living in alignment with the person God always intended you to become.

And that…is a word worth carrying into the week.