1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 tells us to “respect those who work hard among you” and “hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.” Now, I don’t know about you, but this reminds me of those folks who keep the wheels turning in our lives—the ones who don’t get the spotlight, but without them, nothing would get done.

You see, too often we think leadership is about being up front, but real leadership is about getting down to work, being willing to serve, and making things happen. It’s about rolling up your sleeves, digging in, and working like you mean it. And when you see someone doing that—whether it’s a pastor, a teacher, a nurse, or just your neighbor who always mows that one strip of your lawn you keep missing—stop and recognize them. Tell them you see what they’re doing. Lift ‘em up. Let ‘em know they matter.

Now, Paul didn’t just say, “Give ’em a pat on the back and move on.” He said to hold them in the highest regard in love. It means cherishing those who serve with their hearts, whether they’re in the pulpit or behind the scenes.

Let’s face it, if we want to build a community that thrives, it starts with loving the ones who lead by example. So today, take a moment to thank those who are faithfully working, not for applause, but because it’s their calling. When we honor those who serve, we honor the very spirit of what God calls us to be—one body, many parts, working together in love.

You know, there’s an old saying that you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. I’ve always thought that’s a fine bit of wisdom wrapped up in a folksy phrase. The truth of the matter is, you can’t help someone who isn’t ready to help themselves. And trying to do so is like trying to shovel smoke with a pitchfork in the wind.

Mark Twain said: “Never argue with a fool; onlookers may not be able to tell the difference,” and he was right. There’s a fine line between being a friend and being a fool. If someone’s determined to keep tripping over their own two feet, no amount of your good intention is gonna get them to stand upright. It’s like trying to teach a pig to sing—wastes your time and annoys the pig.

A person has to find their own way in the wilderness. I’ve learned through my own challenges to see the beauty in the struggle. The journey starts with the first step, and that step has to be yours. You can’t drag a soul up a mountain and expect them to appreciate the view. No, they’ve got to sweat, toil, and maybe even bleed a little to see the sunrise the way it was meant to be seen—with their own two eyes and a heart full of understanding.

Loving someone means letting them learn to love themselves enough to want better. It’s not about abandoning them in their hour of need; it’s about standing firm in love while they figure out how to stand on their own two feet. Sometimes that means letting them stumble, letting them fall, because it’s in the getting back up that they find out what they’re made of.

See, there’s a balance to be found—a line between offering a hand and carrying someone who’s unwilling to walk. We can love folks through their hard times, we can encourage them, pray for them, and guide them, but we can’t do the work for them. That’s their path, their walk, their mountain to climb.

So, don’t wear yourself out trying to help someone who won’t help themselves. Offer a hand, lend an ear, speak truth in love, but remember—you’re not their savior. They’ve got to pick up the pieces of their own life and start building something worth living for. And when they do, well, that’s when you’ll see a transformation that’s truly something to behold.

Psalm 94:19 says, “When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.” Now, ain’t that something? Most of us know a little something about having a head full of worries. 

Life has a way of piling up problems like a stack of unpaid bills on the kitchen table. Anxiety has a way of creeping in like Carolina summer heat—slow, sticky, and it’ll wear you down if you ain’t careful.

You see, we think we gotta figure it all out, wrestle every worry, and fix every problem ourselves. We try to carry the weight of the world like we’re Atlas himself, but truth be told, our shoulders weren’t made for that. Anxiety whispers in our ear, telling us we ain’t enough, that the storm is too big, and we’re too small.

 But here’s where God steps in with a big ol’ “Not today!”When the troubles of this world seem louder than a Baptist preacher on Sunday morning, God’s comfort cuts through like a cool breeze. His peace ain’t just a fleeting feeling; it’s a deep-down knowing that He’s got this—even when we don’t. It’s like finding shade under a big ol’ oak tree in the middle of August. 

It’s where the weight lifts, and joy sneaks in.So, let’s remember today that when our minds get crowded with the noise of life’s worries, God’s consolation is right there, waiting to bring us joy. We just gotta lean in, trust a little deeper, and let Him do what He does best—turn our anxiety into peace, and our burdens into blessings.