Latest / Beliefs, Ballots, And BullDawgs / Friday July 10, 2026
Transcript
- Greg: Hey, what's up, guys? Welcome back. It's the latest episode of Beliefs, Ballads, and Bulldogs. It is Friday, July the 10th, and as we roll into the weekend, I'm gonna ask you a question. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to mistake activity or busyness for effectiveness? We run, we work, we build, we chase goals. Most of us fill every hour of every day. And yet somehow the the weekend rolls around and and we just feel exhausted and not just physically but but mentally and emotionally and certainly spiritually as well. Maybe it's maybe that's because we've been pr trying to produce fruit while forgetting the source. ⁓ today we want to spend a few moments in in the book of John, chapter fifteen, verses four and five. Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing. So it's it's very famous verse. and you notice here Jesus is not is not comparing himself to a coach or a boss or any kind of you know dictatorial king giving out orders. Jesus compares himself to a vine and and he compares all of us to the branches. If we dig into that, you know, a a branch doesn't struggle to produce fruit. A branch simply stays connected to the vine. The the fruit that is bore is is a result of that connection to the vine. And that's that's a radically different way for us, I think, to to think about the Christian life. We spend so much time asking, you know, how can I be stronger? How can I be more disciplined in my faith? How can I be a better Christian? Jesus begins with the simplest answer of all. Stay connected to him. You know, many of us we we spend our lives trying to produce things. And and for me, you know, we try to produce peace, we try to manufacture joy, we try to force ourselves to be patient, it all the while we're trying to earn God's approval. And and Jesus is saying that those things are those are the fruit, and the fruit cannot and will not be manufactured. The fruit is grown, and the fruit can only grow when we remain connected to the vine. Maybe we've been trying to produce what only God can produce for us. As we head into the weekend, don't don't just ask yourselves, hey, what do we have planned this weekend? Ask yourself the follow up question. Am I am I making room to stay close to Christ? Am I am I leaving room for a few quiet moments in prayer, time in God's Word, a walk in nature just to appreciate God's creation, worship time with the family? We can't view these as as religious chores. These are these are beautiful and joyous ways of staying connected to the one who gives us life. Our culture ⁓ far too often teaches us that that you get more by doing more. And Jesus is teaching us that that the lasting fruit doesn't come by doing more, but rather from abiding more in him. These are not the same thing. Doing and abiding are not the same. The world tells you. Hustle until you're empty. Jesus reminds you to hang with Jesus invites you to hang with him until you're full. That's not laziness, it's dependence. But if you're dependent on him, that's a great thing. You know, parents don't don't have to be perfect. Children don't need perfect moms and dads. They they just need parents and they need role models who are connected to Christ. You know, husbands and wives, you know, I marriages don't need two superheroes. We just need two people who who learn to stay rooted in the one who never changes, the ultimate stability. Your family will never draw lasting strength from making a schedule and and staying busy and keeping everybody occupied. You draw strength from your spiritual roots, and those only grow when we slow down and give them a chance to grow. So ask yourself, what are you connected to? Whatever it is that's feeding your soul will eventually shape your life around it. If if you're constantly connected to to fear, you will become a fearful person. If you are constantly connected to the outrage mafia, you will become an angry person. Therefore, if you're constantly connected to Christ, well, his life will begin to show itself through yours. And that is a beautiful, beautiful thing. This weekend, let's let's all try to slow down a little bit. Let's let's put the phone down for a while. Let's let's open our Bible. Let's let's pray without thinking about or looking at the clock. Let's spend some time with the people that God has has entrusted to us. And let's watch a sunrise or a sunset. Let's take a walk. Let's just spend some time noticing God's creation. And remember that your value doesn't come from what you accomplish over the next few days. Your value comes from who you are. All right, guys, we got 57 days until football season. Cannot wait. Until Georgia football, which is really the only football that matters. ⁓ fifty-seven, which has been a kind of a popular number in the past with some some nice names. We've got a legendary linebacker back in the 90s with Mo Lewis. ⁓ we've got the cool iceman kicker from up north, Blair Walsh. And then off the recent roster, just ⁓ just got drafted out of this past year, big offensive lineman, big ⁓ tackle prospect, Monroe Freeling. ⁓ it showed absolute dominance, man. Freel Freeling's got all that you want in a tackle prospect. If he can stay healthy, he he's got potential to be a good one. The ⁓ as we roll into the weekend, the the number of weekends without football is is certainly dwindling. And and for some of us, that's that's some real good news. Some of us can't wait for those Saturdays in the fall with a little cooler weather, some football on TV, and and nothing like celebrating a dog win on a Saturday night. Today we want to talk about something that I've I've been wrestling with this for a while and and trying to put it together and figure out how to package this and and it's something I think we we all need to hear. This isn't this isn't just about politicians and this just isn't about social media or or or not just about dealing with people we disagree with. I I think the issue o ⁓ overall is just to take a look at ourselves, to to figure out how can we how can we talk about choosing to see the best in people around us. Instead of always assuming the worst and and we're all guilty and and it makes sense with the the negative energy that's just ⁓ all around us with social media and the news channels. Negativity's everywhere, but we we can't get consumed by it. We can't get caught up in it, and we can't allow it to always make us see the worst in everything. You know, one one of the fastest ways to to ruin your piece is to become a professional mind reader. And that's I think that's what a lot of us are are doing here. We we don't just We don't just respond to what people say or what people do. We respond to some sort of motive that we've invented in our own hands or own heads behind what they've said or done. You know, if somebody ⁓ simply forgets to text back and we assume we assume they're ignoring us or they don't care about us. You know, in my case, somebody says something a little sloppy or a little clumsy or maybe a little offhanded and we assume that it's meant to to be hurtful and and and antagonistic. If somebody disagrees with your opinion on something and you feel like they're attacking your character, if somebody's just trying to sit quietly and mind their own business, we assume they're in a bad mood. People make a mistake and and we we treat it as if that reveals and defines their whole character. You know, somebody just because somebody doesn't respond the way we hoped they would respond. doesn't give us a r a reason to to suddenly build an entire courtroom in our mind and and play the whole thing out as some melodrama. Some things are not that deep. You know, just because something doesn't go and you don't get the response that that you're looking for, we can't become the prosecutor. We can't become the judge. We can't become the jury. Most of the time the other person doesn't even know they're on trial. Most of the time they're not even aware that they've triggered you somehow. And this is this is an exhausting back and forth that I think we can all work to avoid. It's simply not the way that followers or cr of Christ are called to live. Now let me be clear from the very beginning here. Choosing to believe the best is not in any way calling you to ignore reality. ⁓ it's not asking you to be gullible. It doesn't mean pretending that sin isn't sin. It doesn't mean tolerating any sort of abuse. It doesn't mean refusing to recognize patterns and adjust your behaviors accordingly. And it certainly doesn't mean letting people walk all over you. Discernment still matters, wisdom still matters, boundary still matters, and accountability still matters. But there's a difference between being discerning and being suspicious. There's there's a difference between being wise and being cynical. There's there's a difference between noticing a pattern And assuming the worst possible motive motive to every single thing somebody says or does. And I think a lot of us have have allowed suspicion to become our first instinct. And it's a self-protective thing. We we think it makes us safer. We think it keeps us from getting surprised or taken advantage of. But when suspicion is your first instinct, you just become a negative and miserable person. ⁓ we think if we assume the worst then then we won't be surprised when people let us down or disappoint us. We think that cynicism makes us strong, but most of the time suspicion doesn't in any way protect your heart. It actually just poisons it. It makes you defensive, it makes you bitter, it makes you very hard to love, makes you quick to anger, and frankly it just makes you difficult to be around when you see the worst and everything. It it it makes every relationship feel like a threat. Scripture gives us a better way in first Corinthians chapter thirteen verse seven, Paul says love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. And now we take the phrase believes all things does not mean love is stupid and gullible. You know, it doesn't mean that love ignores evil, it doesn't mean that love believes every excuse or overlooks every pattern. It just means that love is not cynical. Love is not eager to condemn. Love does not immediately assume the worst. Love gives room for a better explanation. Love understands that people are tired and sometimes they just say or do the wrong thing. People are stressed. People forget. People just misspeak. People have bad days. Some people just can't communicate very well. And some people are simply carrying things that we know nothing about. And those are weighing them down and making them on edge. Sometimes what we may be interpreting as as disrespect was just somebody who was slightly off their game or distracted. Sometimes what we interpret as rejection was just somebody who was tired and not paying attention. Sometimes what we interpret as arrogance is actually a deep seated insecurity. Sometimes you know, anger can be interpreted or sometimes fear can be interpreted as anger. When you're afraid, you lash out. And sometimes that can can seem like your anger when you're really afraid. Sometimes what we've interpreted as not caring was somebody who's barely holding themselves together enough to care about anything other than just surviving. You know, the Bible's not asking you to excuse everything, but it's asking you just to slow down a little bit. Proverbs chapter nineteen, verse eleven says good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. I love this verse. It it it doesn't say foolishness makes you overlook an offense. It says good sense does. You're not a you're not an idiot if you let something go. Good sense can overlook an offense as well. Wisdom knows that not every situation needs a confrontation. Not every comment needs a response. Not every single irritation needs to become a war. And not every mistake needs to be prosecuted. Some offenses just need to be let go. Sometimes it's actually glory to overlook something. Sometimes the strongest thing you can do is to not fire back. Sometimes the most mature thing you can do is to pause and ask, is there another way I could see this? That's that's a question I think that could save a lot of arguments in in marriages and and in all relationships. it could just completely change the temperature of a conversation. It can it can calm down a a situation who has escalated. If you just before you assume someone meant harm, ask, is is there a more charitable explanation? Maybe this person was just overwhelmed, maybe they're misunderstood, maybe they're tired or distracted, or maybe there's just poor communication on their part, but they didn't really mean anything by it. Maybe again, maybe they're dealing with something you know nothing about and it's all they can do to hold themselves together. Just because somebody fails in a moment, we can't let and assume that that moment defines their entire heart. And again, I'm not telling you to ignore patterns. If somebody repeatedly lies, manipulates, abuses, or harms, that's not a misunderstanding. That that's a pattern. Wisdom sees patterns, but wisdom also knows the difference between a pattern and a moment. Too many of us are treating moments like patterns, and one bad tone becomes you always disrespect me. One forgotten task becomes you never care or listen to me. One disagreement becomes you never take my side. You're against me on everything. And one mistake just becomes that's just who you are. All you do is mess up. And before long, the the people closest to us feel like they can never be human around us because we won't let them get away with anything. They can't have a bad day, they can't misspeak, they can't forget anything. Good Lord, they can't be tired. They can't fail without fear of you labeling them and condemning them. And that's not love. That's that's not grace, and that's certainly not how God deals with us. Think about how patient God has has been with you. Think about how many times. You've needed mercy. Think about how many times you've had mixed or ulterior motives. Think about how many times you've said something poorly. Think about how many times you've simply failed to do what you know you should have done, or how many times you've needed someone else to see more in your worst moment than just that act. Now ask yourself, do do you give that kind of grace to others? Or is this like most things in life, you you want it for yourself, you want grace for yourself, but judgment for everyone else. That's where the conversation gets real. ⁓ most of us want to interpret our actions very generously. But when we're short with others, we we don't seem to under or we want them to understand why. You know, it's it's if we forget something, we want to know it's because we're busy. If we're short, we want them just know we were just stressed in the moment. When we communicate badly, we want them to know, hey, I didn't mean it that way. Give me a second chance. And when we mess up, we want them to see that our intentions were good, even if the outcome wasn't. But when the shoes on the other foot and someone else does the same thing, we often judge them by the absolute worst possible interpretation. And again, that's not fair and that's not love. And this is not the way Jesus calls us to live. Jesus says in Matthew chapter 7, verse 12, whatever you wish that others would do, do also to them. It's the golden rule. If you want people to give you the benefit of the doubt, you gotta give it in return. So that applies here. If if if if you want people to see your heart beyond one bad moment. one bad choice, one bad decision, one ⁓ miscommunication, then you have to offer that same kind of mercy to them. I if you want people to believe that you're still growing and working to improve, you've got to believe that about them as well. And this matters a lot in marriages. A lot a lot of marriages break down, usually not because of some sort of big betrayal, but they break down because of repeated assumptions. You assume that your spouse meant to hurt you. You you assume that their silence is is contempt and means something. You assume that their forgetfulness means they don't care or they're lazy. You assume that when they're stressed out and short tempered, it's it's a form of rejection. You assume that when they're simply trying to correct a behavior or modify something, you you take it as criticism instead of correction. And sometimes you just assume that just because they're tired and don't have any energy, that that's some some symbol that they don't love you anymore. And over time you you stop responding to your spouse and you start responding to the story you've built in your head about your spouse. And that story may have some pieces of truth in it, but it also may have fear, resentment, insecurities, and old wounds mixed in that have no business in the common or the current situation. So before you overreact to something, ask, is this what they actually did? Or is this what I'm afraid it means? It you know, that that question matters. You you gotta give, especially when it comes to spouses or or parenting and kid relationship, you've gotta be, you've gotta understand intent or at least try to. You know, our kids need correction. Our kids need discipline. They need, they need guidance. But not every childish moment is some massive form of rebellion that has to be fixed or corrected. Sometimes kids aren't being defiant. Sometimes they're just overwhelmed with this world around them. So sometimes they're embarrassed, sometimes they're tired, sometimes they're trying to figure out emotions that they don't understand yet. And so we need to give them some grace. Again, it doesn't mean we dis excuse disobedience or disrespect. It just means we parent with wisdom instead of paranoia. There's there's a difference between correcting your child and constantly assuming the worst about your child. There's a difference between discipline and discouragement. There's a difference between teaching them the responsibility versus making them feel like they're always a problem. Our kids need to know that we always see the good in them. They need to know that we believe God is working in them. And they need to know that their worst moment is in no way their identity. Because if the people closest to them only see what's wrong, then they'll start to believe that's all they are. This happens in every relationship. It's friendships, marital relationships. You know, some of us have lost friendships, not not because of of something that happened, but sometimes because of something we may have assumed what happened, a a delayed text became some sort of rejection, a a missed invitation became some act of betrayal. And you know, short answers become proof that somebody's mad at you. And, you know, sometimes just because you disagree on a on a matter, it it can become the end of the trust in the relationship. And I think it's sometimes instead of just asking follow-up questions, we immediately start building a case against somebody. Instead of having a a conversation to try to understand, we just let that resentment grow. And instead of giving grace, we just withdraw from the relationship altogether. And that's ultimately how a lot of relationships just quietly die. It's usually not with some big explosion. They just die because two people keep assuming the worst and and never have the courage to try to sit down and clarify things. ⁓ i this matters at at work. This matters in professional situation. If if you lead people, you have to choose to believe the best in those people before you can just always assume laziness or disrespect. Maybe they need coaching, maybe they need some clarity, maybe they're overworked or overloaded, or maybe they just made a mistake. You do have to hold the standards, you have to you have to have an expectation and and demand that people meet that expectations. You have to expect excellence and you certainly have to address Patterns that are problematic and need to be corrected. But don't lead people as if every mistake is an evidence of bad character. People thrive under leaders who can correct, but still still clearly show that they believe in you. This matters in the church. You know, this our our church can become some of the worst about assuming negative motives. You know, somebody doesn't say hello and we assume those people are rude. You know, if somebody doesn't volunteer, then then we assume that they're not as good of a Christian as we are. You know, if somebody asks a question, then we assume that maybe they're trying to cause trouble that stirs something up. And if somebody disagrees with something, then we just assume they're just a divisive person that you can't go along to get along. The body of Christ is supposed to be marked by love, you know, not suspicion, not gossip, not taking offense at everything, and not any sort of quiet resentment that's dressed up as discernment and wisdom. Love believes all things. Love hopes all things. It doesn't mean we become blind. It means we refuse to become bitter. And maybe that's the word for the day. Maybe that's the thought for the day is just to refuse to become bitter. Bitterness often starts as a story that that we tell ourselves about what someone meant, a story about why they did what they did, a story about how they must feel about us, ⁓ what kind of person they are, and then then we react as if that entire story is true. It's dangerous proposition because you know the story you tell yourself can can either open the door to peace or it can build a prison of resentment. And a lot of times that story is made up in your own head about somebody else. So here's the practical challenge. Today or tomorrow over the weekend, when when somebody frustrates you, just pause. Before you react to anything, just just pause. Before you assume the worst or try to interpret what they meant, just pause. And before you text back or respond with any sort of negative attitude. Pause. Before you replay the moment in your head, pause. Before you make it a bigger issue than it needs to be, just pause and ask yourself, is there a more charitable explanation? Is this a pattern or is this a moment? Have I asked a question or have I already made a judgment? Am I responding to what happened or to what I fear what happened means? Would I want someone to interpret me this way? ⁓ pausing and asking yourself those questions can change everything. It it can it can keep you from saying something you regret. It can keep a small irritation from from becoming a a knockdown, drag out fight. It can help you approach someone with with humility instead of a an accusatory tone. And it can create a space for for growth and understanding in in whatever relationship this is. And maybe it it just helps you become the type of person that people feel a little more comfortable in and a little safer being around. So that they can be honest and transparent with you. And that that's a beautiful thing. You want to be the kind of person that that people aren't scared to be around. People feel like they can be human and just be real. Not sloppy and not careless and not dishonest, but just real, just human. And and you want to be the kind of person who who can correct somebody and help somebody without crushing their spirit. You you want to be the kind of person who can confront things without condemning someone. ⁓ and you want to be the kind of person who can who can notice a problem, but not necessarily assign evil motives to to the cause of that problem. ⁓ it's okay to hold standards, but you gotta still offer grace. And that's what Jesus has done for us. He knows the truth about us, all of it, completely. He sees every motive, every thought, every failure, every sin, every weakness, every excuse. And yet he's patient, he's merciful. He calls us to repentance like we spoke about yesterday, but he doesn't treat us like we're disposable. He tells the truth, but he never stops loving us. And that's the model. Truth and grace, hand in hand they go together. Conviction and compassion, discernment and hope. So today let's choose to believe the best before we assume the worst. Choose to be patient, choose to be charitable, choose to exercise grace, choose to ask some follow up questions before you make an accusation. Choose to overlook what doesn't need to become a battle. Choose to stop being a professional mind reader because you're terrible at it. And choose to stop letting suspicion steal your peace. Remember this a lot of relationships aren't destroyed by what happened. They're destroyed by the story that we told ourselves about what happened. So tell a better story when you can. Give grace where you can. Ask questions when you need to, and address patterns when you have to. Don't let cynicism become wisdom in your own mind. Don't let bitterness disguise itself as discernment, and don't let past hurt make you unfair to the current people in your life. Love believes all things. Love hopes all things. Love is not blind, but love is not eager to condemn. So today be slow to anger, be quick to give grace. Look for the good and speak life into everything and everybody. Assume the best when wisdom allows it. And choose to see the image of God and people around you before you reduce them to their worst moment. Might not change the whole world by doing this, but it might change your home, might change your marriage, might change your workplace or some relationships with friends or your kids. It might change your own heart. And that's a pretty good place to start. All right, guys, we get back to the primary passage of the day in the Gospel of John. And you know, Jesus never says, try harder to bear fruit. Jesus simply says, remain in me. And maybe that's the invitation we we all need at the end of this week. Not to not to push harder, not to prove yourself, simply to stay close to the Savior. The strongest branches aren't always the busiest ones. They're the ones that stay connected to the vine. As you head into the weekend, stay rooted, stay grateful, stay connected. And remember, the same God that carried you through this week will be waiting for you in the next one. As always, guys, remember, get in your Bibles. Say your prayers, love one another, and tell the truth. God bless.