In recent years, secular business leaders have been adopting the notion of “servant leadership.” Servant leadership is defined as a “philosophy and set of practices that enriches the lives of individuals, builds better organizations, and ultimately creates a more caring world”.

For a long time, corporate culture has been about the me factor. So, why the change to servant leadership? As it turns out, companies where bosses demonstrated a servant’s heart showed higher job satisfaction, less employee turnover, and more productivity. Servant leadership is just good business practice. And who demonstrated this better than anyone else? Jesus Christ, of course!

The Bible says in Mark 10:44, “But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be a slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

This week, one way you can open the door to conversations about Jesus is by serving people. Whether it’s at work, at home, or with your friends, offer to serve with a loving heart. I guarantee people in your world will take notice, and this will be a fabulous opportunity to talk about the ultimate servant leader, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This is Luis Palau.

When we’re children, one of the things that motivates us is the desire to please our parents. We draw pictures and show off new skills to get a smile or an expression of approval. We do this because they love us and that love compels us to make them proud. It’s a powerful motivator.

Likewise, once we grasp the scope of God’s love for us, we are compelled to serve Him. Jesus’ death and resurrection granted us the ability to have a personal relationship with Him. And, as 2 Corinthians 5 says, “we make it our goal to please him.”

So what pleases God? When people speak well of His Son. We are called to proclaim His Good News and demonstrate His love to those around us.

This week, spend some time in the Word and recall the immense depth of God’s love for you. Meditate on the words of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Then, go share that news with someone who needs to hear it. Let that love motivate you to reach your world for Jesus Christ.This is Andrew Palau.

If you had to guess, in what month do you think most people give to charity? Well, you may not be surprised, but it is December. In 2014, 31% of charitable donations happened in December in the USA. That makes sense, right? In December, we give gifts to those we love to celebrate God’s greatest gift to us. This is also the time when some of us might get Christmas bonuses or year-end pay raises. It is a good time to give.

But what about the other eleven months? How do we give when we aren’t in the holiday, gift-giving mood? It seems like it’s harder for people to give when it’s not part of the overall culture, the holiday spirit. It’s not as easy to remember.

If we put love in the picture, though, we can’t possibly forget to give. If we know someone who is in need or is hurting, our love rises up and motivates us to help. The love of God is the key. As 1 Corinthians 13 says, “If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” Giving without love is a chore, while giving with love is a privilege and a joy.

There are so many things we can give: our money, our time, our talents, and more. The more we are generous with what God has given us, the more others will see Christ in us. Give with the love of God all year round, and see people change.

This is Luis Palau.

Have you ever been friends with a “know-it-all?” These are the people who seem to have an answer for everything, whether it is a question, a situation, or a comment someone else has made. It doesn’t matter if this person is not an expert in the conversation subject; he or she will become one once you all start talking about it. This quality isn’t necessarily bad if the person indeed knows what they are talking about and not just showing off. Some people are just very curious and have great memories. They know many facts, and they want to share them. The problem is when the know-it-alls lack kindness, patience, or humility. In other words, they lack love.

In 1 Corinthians 13, it says, “And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” If you are an expert who knows everything, but you cannot speak with love, you will get nowhere. The verse takes it one step further: even if you have faith, this passage says, so much faith you could move mountains with it, but you don’t have love, it’s purposeless.  

So, learn about your faith. Read and study the Bible. Go to Sunday School. But then learn how to communicate all that you learned with LOVE to those who do not know it. God will use your words, knowledge, and faith to change peoples’ lives.  

This is Luis Palau.

Have you ever been to a concert of young children playing instruments? It can be a great joy to watch children learn new things. But often when a musician is just learning, they only know two volumes: loud and louder. This is particularly true when you are talking about percussion. In particular, the cymbals. Even when you go to a professional symphony, hearing those cymbals crash makes your heart jump. For a moment, it is all you can hear. Imagine if you were right next to the cymbals when they crashed. You wouldn’t be able to hear anything but your ears ringing for a long while.

I think this is the reason that 1 Corinthians 13 starts out with the analogy: “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” Without love in your speech, all anyone can hear is loud crashing every time you open your mouth. It hurts their ears and keeps them from hearing anything else. You can have a lot to say, but unless love is part of it, no one will be able to hear it.

When we speak to people in our world about our faith, we need a heavy dose of gentleness and love. We should not be pushy or unpleasantly aggressive. Instead we need the agape love of Christ to be present in our words. Then others will be able to hear and receive the beautiful music that is a life with God in our Lord Jesus Christ.   

This is Luis Palau.

Aren’t weddings wonderful? Two people stand at the front of a church, in front of their friends and family, and they proclaim how much they love each other. Often during the ceremony, the pastor talks about love – loving each other, loving God, and loving others. So, what Scripture does the pastor probably read? Why, 1 Corinthians 13, of course!

There is a reason that 1 Corinthians 13, or the “love chapter,” is read at many weddings. It talks about how love is necessary to do everything well. It talks about what love is and what it is not. And the passage ends with: “...and now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.” Great words for the start of two peoples’ lives together.

But those words don’t just apply when two people get married. In fact, these words apply much more after that day, when life gets challenging and messy. Love is easy to talk about, but hard to do. That is why the word “love” here is agape, or the love of God for man and the love of man for God. It is a choice, taken over and over again. In all of our relationships, particularly those with people who don’t know the agape love of the Father, we need to show what true love is and what it can do. Can you imagine if all of life was like a wedding celebration? In Christ, it can be!

This is Luis Palau.

Not all optimists are believers. And not all believers are optimists. But the optimistic believer is irresistible.

Think about someone you know who is an optimist. When confronted with a challenge, a bold smile and a cheery word are their response. Now, think of someone you know who has a rock-solid faith. This person is firm. Steady. Immovable. Their faith is not for show, but humbly calls for company. Those without Christ are attracted to the peace they radiate.

When is an optimist not a believer? When she desires to look at the bright side of life but refuses to acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. She is a poster child for secular self-help. When is a believer not an optimist? When he has entrusted himself to Jesus Christ but fails to walk in Him and continues to respond to life’s challenges with fear, anxiety, and doubt. He has not let his faith permeate every nook and cranny of his life.

The optimistic believer, however, is a joyful combination. This person isn’t fake or shallow. They have a tangible and contagious faith. They say with confidence “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.” Be an optimistic believer and reach your world. Let Christ have the victory in your life. 

This is Andrew Palau.

Bob works for a large Christian publishing company. Bob tells that whenever a really good book was about to be published, a book that the company knew could impact people with the Gospel, there would always be a problem during publishing. Bob said, “Honestly, the enemy doesn’t want books published if they’ll bring people to Jesus, so we just anticipate problems with books that promote the Gospel. It kind of excites us, really.”

I thought about what Bob said, and you know, it’s true! The enemy desperately wants to keep people from hearing the Gospel. So what does he do? He tries to thwart our efforts to share about Jesus. In my years of being an evangelist, I’ve seen it time and time again; right before a big event, something goes wrong, as if the enemy is trying to get us to back out. But we never do. We press on, sharing the Good News, because that’s what we’ve been called to do. In fact, ordered to do.

The Bible says in James 1:12, “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him.” This week, I urge you to stand strong against the enemy’s attempt to keep you from sharing the Good News Gospel. Be bold, be courageous, and tell people about Jesus.                 

This is Luis Palau.

I just read a quote that says, “Anxiety does not come from thinking about the future, but instead, it comes from wanting to control the future.” How many of us have experienced anxiety about something because we want to control the outcome, but we can’t? I know I have. When I find myself in these situations, where life is out of my control, I remind myself of Philippians 4:6-7, which says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Are there areas of your life that are beyond your control? Instead of stressing about them, or obsessing over how to fix them, pray this prayer with me: “Lord, I give you my worries, my fears, and my anxiety. Help me to rest in your wonderful peace. I love you, and I trust you. Thank you, Amen.”

As you experience the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, talk to people. Share this peace with others by telling them the Gospel, and sharing about how Jesus has worked in your life.                         This is Luis Palau.

A good friend of our family named Jane has a favorite verse that she always quotes. She loves Proverbs 3:5-6, which says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

For a long time, I didn’t understand why Jane always went back to this verse, until I learned more of her story. Jane told me that she was very sick as a child. In fact, she was on bedrest most of her youth. She lost her mother when she was very young. When she got married as a young adult, her husband began drinking, and their life was plagued by alcoholism for many years. Jane had very little, and yet the Lord provided very much. When Jane should have been sad, despondent, and unhappy, the Lord brought her peace and joy. So, as Jane told me, “I have no choice but to trust in the Lord!”

And you know, I think this is true for many of us, if we really think about it. None of the gifts we have are promised to us. They are all from the Lord. And none of us is in such a pit that God doesn’t have a plan for us. But we can only live out that plan by truly trusting Him.

I encourage you to act like Jane. Place your full trust in the Lord. If you let Him, He will guide your paths and make them straight.                                 This is Luis Palau.