Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.” Now, that’s a statement if I’ve ever heard one.

Let’s be honest—people will proudly wear their favorite football team’s colors, argue over barbecue styles, and stand in line for hours for a cup of overpriced coffee. But when it comes to talking about Jesus, suddenly folks get quieter than a church mouse at a cat convention.

Paul wasn’t like that. He knew the gospel wasn’t just a good idea—it was the power of God. Power to change lives. Power to heal wounds. Power to take the most lost, broken, messed-up soul and make them brand new. And if that’s the case, why on earth would we ever be ashamed of it?

The world is loud about a whole lot of nonsense. Maybe it’s time we got a little louder about the one thing that really matters. So, go ahead—live your faith out loud. Love people like Jesus does. Speak the truth with kindness. And don’t be ashamed of the gospel, because it’s not just good news—it’s the best news this world has ever heard.

Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Now, my grandma used to say, “You can learn things the easy way or the hard way, but you’re gonna learn.” And Lord knows, I’ve tested both routes. The easy way is listening to folks who’ve been around a while, who’ve got some wisdom under their belt. The hard way? Well, that usually involves ignoring good advice and ending up flat on your back, wondering what just happened.

This verse reminds us that real wisdom starts with reverence for God—respecting Him enough to trust His ways over our own stubbornness. But there are always some folks who just won’t listen. They think they’ve got it all figured out, and before you know it, they’ve run their life into a ditch.

If you want to be wise, start by seeking God. Let Him guide your steps. Because wisdom isn’t just about knowing things—it’s about knowing the right things and actually doing them. And trust me, life goes a whole lot smoother when you walk with the One who wrote the instruction manual.

Matthew 18:12 says, “If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?”

Now, most of us like to think we’re part of the ninety-nine—faithful, steady, right where we’re supposed to be. But if we’re honest, we’ve all been that one sheep at some point—wandering off, distracted by something that looked better than it was, stuck in a ditch of our own making.

And yet, Jesus comes looking. He doesn’t say, “Well, that one should’ve known better.” He doesn’t cut His losses and focus on the ones who stayed put. No, He leaves the ninety-nine to find the one, because every single sheep matters.

That means you matter. Even when you’ve messed up. Even when you feel lost. Even when you think you’ve wandered too far. Jesus is still searching, still calling your name, still ready to carry you back on His shoulders.

So if you’re lost, stop running. If you’re found, don’t forget what it was like to be lost. And if you see a lost sheep, don’t stand there judging—join Jesus in bringing them home. Because grace isn’t just for the ninety-nine. It’s for the one. And at some point, we’ve all been the one.