Jesus & Christian Community seen in "Uncle Darrell"
Welcome to Journey into Trust Day by Day, where you can find principles to build your life upon, and you can find somebody who cares and loves God’s Word to share it with you.
Today’s principle is found in 1 Corinthians 10:24: ‘Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor,’ or ‘that of the other’ is another way to translate that.
The context of that passage is to not make your brother stumble—to not do things that would cause them to maybe sin against God because in their conscience they don’t feel like it’s right to do.
I love this verse because I think it’s a great one to search our hearts. What are our motives? Are we doing something out of selfish gain, or are we doing something for the good of others? It’s a great verse to memorize and to hide in your heart as a check against selfishness.
I don’t think it should be taken out of context in that we’re never to think about ourselves or be good to ourselves. It’s more of a check that we are being mindful of people around us and making sure we are seeking their good and not just living selfishly.
Especially in that passage, the early Christians were supposed to be very careful with their freedom so that they weren’t making someone else stumble.
The scripture that really correlates with this—and was probably a huge motivator for Paul—is what Jesus said in John 13:34–35.
Jesus told His disciples, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
So we’ll just jump right into the piece from my book that I wanted to share today. It has to do with this topic, and it’s called “Uncle Darrell.”
This is about a time when I went to a park in a different town, saw a bench, and just sat there and wrote this piece.
“Uncle Darrell”
The bench I chose today is inscribed with, ‘Like a good neighbor, Uncle Darrell was always there. It’s good to hear—your face is getting brighter.’ That’s what the bench said.
The bench overlooks a cheerful grove—bumblebees playing duck-duck-goose among miniature prairie flowers dotting bright yellow everywhere. Oaks, tall and straight, are blessed by the expanse above them, growing upward in the uncrowded light.
All hold their own ground, each beautiful and unique alone, but together an inviting, content community—all Uncle Darrells, perhaps.
What makes a man friendly, helpful, dependable, and wise? What makes an oak tall, sturdy, healthy, and peaceful?
The anointed Jesus came to comfort all who mourn, to grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of despair, so that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor. (Isaiah 61:2–3)
Dear Lord, make me thus. Make me a tree of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that You may be glorified. And plant me among others with the same good purpose. Make us an inviting community, content in You, drawing others to Your Son, the Savior—and the best Darrells ever.
This is from my book Journey into Trust: A Poetic Devotional Connecting God’s Word to Everyday Life. You can find it on my website or on Amazon.
I loved that bench and thinking about that Uncle Darrell, because he was obviously a person who cared about others—he was always there. It seems like being in his presence brought joy to people.
He reminds us that it’s best to love others and not live for ourselves. And the grove of trees that his bench overlooks is such a peaceful place—it reminds me that we really need to be ‘Uncle Darrells’ in our churches.
Church should be and can be a community of friendliness, helpfulness, dependability, and wisdom—a community loved by Jesus and content in Him, so that we draw others to the Savior.
So back to our foundational principle—we are commanded by Jesus to love one another even as He has loved us. That’s such an important part of John 13:34–35.
We can’t love without being loved by Jesus. And when we know He loves us, that love overflows to others, and we can genuinely make a difference in their lives.
I also think Romans 5:5 is very important. It says, “Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
So we have Jesus who loves us every day, and we have His Holy Spirit poured into our hearts—assuring us of His love and filling us so we can love others.
The takeaway is that Uncle Darrell was a person who was there for others. He was a good listener, and talking to him brightened the days of others. I really want to be that kind of person too, and I hope you do as well.
Just to wrap up—again, the verse to memorize is: ‘Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor’ (1 Corinthians 10:24). I really encourage you to think about that verse and hide it in your heart.
The Bible says we are to hide God’s Word in our hearts so that we will not sin against Him, and that His Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.
Just keep digging in and getting to know God. Find a good Bible translation. Some that are often recommended are the King James Version, New King James, New American Standard Bible (1995), and the ESV.
There are paraphrases that can be helpful, but if you really want to study God’s Word, it’s important to have a translation that comes directly from the Hebrew and Greek.
I love my old Bible that has all my notes in it—it’s a New American Standard 1995. And you’ll see in my video descriptions that I usually list all the scriptures there for you.
God’s Word is so valuable—so dig in, hold on tight, hide it in your heart, and live it out. This is a great verse to live out—to seek the good of others and not just our own interests.
Have a great night. If you’d like to watch this video, click here, and please tell others about it. Feel free to leave comments. I’d love to hear what you’re learning, what you’re struggling with, or topics you’d like me to cover.
