February 28, 2025 Devo

There was a man in our church in Phoenix whose name was Paul. He was extremely introverted and quiet. In the seven or eight years I got to be his pastor, I don’t think I heard him say enough sentences to make a paragraph. But his life shouted the love and goodness of God. He would arrive on our campus by 7:30 am on Sunday mornings. He would go to each building and room on our campus and turn on the lights and air conditioners, so the rooms would be nice and cool by the time the teachers and students arrived. Most people have a hard time making it to church by the time the service starts!
Paul loved youth and children. One year, he decided to collect all the discarded aluminum soda cans that were thrown out around our campus and cash them in. He collected even more from trash cans in the community. With the money he received, he personally sponsored two of our youth to go to an International Youth Convention that they would have never been able to afford to attend. He was simply a beautiful, godly, quiet man. I thought of him when I read this passage. He didn’t need to tell anyone he was an incredible creation of God. His life, like the heavens above us, loudly proclaimed it.
I think that’s a great goal for all of us. Wouldn’t it be amazing if our lives spoke so loudly about who God is and what He is about that people couldn’t help but hear it? Wouldn’t it be cool if people were so moved by our kindness, our generosity, our selflessness, or our compassion that they were drawn to the God who put those qualities within us? What if our lives were so bright and beautiful with the love and goodness of God that few, if any, words were actually necessary? When you look at the night sky, it doesn’t say a word. But its beauty screams of God. My friend Paul did the same thing by being willing to do what few others were willing to do: serve, sacrifice, and encourage. I’ve certainly known a lot more talented people than Paul over the years. I’ve known many who were a lot louder with their mouths but none who shined brighter or lived louder with the goodness of God. But I guess that’s the point, isn’t it? When your LIFE is the message, words aren’t needed. That’s God’s Word for you today.