I didn’t want to write a devotional. I wanted to write, sure—I had since I was nine years old. But a Bible study? No, thank you. I had no divinity degree, no intense study of Scripture. I would write other stories and books, but not a Bible study.
That’s what I told myself.
But God has a way of changing the way we see ourselves. A geode can resemble nothing more than a rock, yet God has placed unseen beauty inside. And sometimes He cracks us open—not to break us, but to reveal what He already knew was there.
Matthew 10:32–42 is not a gentle passage. Jesus speaks plainly: “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.” It’s a call to courage, to allegiance, to living our faith in ways that may cost us comfort, approval, or ease. It can stretch us from “I can’t” to “I will.”
When Jesus speaks in Matthew 10, He is preparing His disciples for a life that will stretch them beyond their perceived qualifications. He is telling them that their identity is not rooted in their résumé, but in their relationship with Him.
And that is where your story meets theirs.
We often disqualify ourselves from God’s call.
“I’m not trained enough.” “I’m not holy enough.” “I’m not strong enough.” “I’m not the kind of person who does that.”
But Matthew 10 reminds us that discipleship is not about credentials but about courage. It’s about acknowledging Christ in the ordinary places, the uncomfortable places, the places where our voice trembles a little, where we falter over our words, where we lose our step.
God honors whatever we offer to Him, whether we offer a cup of cold water to a thirsty friend, teach a Sunday School class, mow the church lawn, or write a Bible study.
Maybe writing a Bible study wasn’t your plan. It certainly wasn’t mine. It felt too big, too sacred, too heavy. But God saw something inside me that I didn’t see. He saw the geode. He saw the hidden beauty. He saw the willingness to honor Him with my words.
God sees the hidden talents in you as well. He will equip you for whatever He calls you to do. Yes, He may need to break you open in the process. We cannot appreciate the beauty of the geode until it is broken. But breaking it will help you serve others, and God will restore the pieces in a way you could not imagine.
And when we step into the thing He asks of us—even if we feel unqualified—He meets us with His own strength, His own wisdom, His own honor.
So here is the question this passage places gently—but firmly—in our hands:
Where is God asking you to acknowledge Him? Not loudly. Not perfectly. Just faithfully.
Maybe it’s in your writing. Maybe it’s in your caregiving. Maybe it’s in your quiet conversations or your unseen acts of service. Maybe it’s in the courage to say, “Yes, Lord, I’ll do the thing I told myself I couldn’t.”
Honoring God rarely begins with confidence. It begins with willingness and this quiet affirmation:
“I have called you. I will equip you. I will be with you.”
Prayer
Lord, Thank You for seeing the hidden beauty You’ve placed within us. Give us courage to acknowledge You in the quiet places of our lives— in our words, our work, our service, and our small acts of love. When You call us, help us to answer with willingness, trusting that You will equip us for every step. Break us open only in ways that reveal Your glory, and restore us in ways we could never imagine. We honor You today, and we rest in Your promise: You are with us. Amen.
