June 25, 2025 Devo

There was a story in the news a few years ago about a General Manager of a travel company in China. Each day, he would make posts on a social media website. They were mostly motivational quotes or updates on company activities. As he updated the posts throughout the day, an employee was chosen at the company to read those posts over a loudspeaker for all to hear. At some point during the day, each employee was required to comment on the post on the social media website. Most simply gave the posts a “like” or another kind of emoji response.
But they had to be careful. If the General Manager wasn’t happy with the level of enthusiasm from the responses he got from his 200-plus employees, he fined them! Though fining employees is illegal in China, the manager said he was justified in doing so because this practice helped his company have a “shared mind,” and employees needed this kind of “mentoring.” And you thought YOU worked at a tough place!
Sometimes people with power use that power to make people comply. But compliance is not loyalty, and a “shared mind” doesn’t come from obedience out of fear. Those things come from a heart that’s been won. Capture their hearts, and you’ll have their loyalty, and they’ll share your vision. Fail to do so, and all you’ll have is their forced labor.
That’s why I love this verse of scripture. God is All-Powerful. He could make us do whatever it is He wants us to do. All He would have to do is flex His Divine muscles just a little, and we would cower into submission in a hurry. But He doesn’t. He doesn’t demand. He invites. He doesn’t coerce. He entreats. He doesn’t manipulate. He woos. Instead of coming to earth, striking down the Roman Empire with lightning bolts, and making the world fall to its knees in fear, God came as a Healer, a Teacher, and a Friend. He didn’t force His Disciples to follow Him. They were drawn to Him. He didn’t force the crowds to listen, but they willingly stayed for hours, hanging on every word. He didn’t intimidate people with the fear of death. He offered them the Gift of Life. And those who walked away…well, He let them walk away.
God gives you that same option today. He doesn’t want your forced obedience. He wants your loyalty. He doesn’t want you to fall to your knees trembling in fear. He wants you to fall to your knees trembling in Awe. He wants your “shared mind” with Him to come out of a Shared Heart. Yes, He is Powerful. VERY Powerful. ALL Powerful. But it’s not the extent of His Power that He wants to impress you with. It’s His Unfailing Love. That’s God’s Word for you today.