October 13, 2026
DON’T JUST PLEASE YOURSELF
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this. We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, ‘The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.’”
Romans 15:1–3 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
Paul paints a clear picture of how spiritually mature believers should use their strength: not to boast or indulge themselves, but to carry, coach, and build up others.
Think of a busy local gym. You have mirror junkies checking their reflection, casual chatter, and folks trying to squeeze in a quick workout for basic health. But over in the heavy lifting section, the most important person in the room isn't the athlete under the barbell—it's the spotter.
The spotter stands behind the lifter, watching every movement with intense focus. When the load gets too heavy and the weight threatens to crush the lifter, the spotter steps in, grabs the bar, and help lift the load.
Paul calls mature believers to step up to the bench as spiritual spotters. In that role, we carry three core responsibilities:
1. Be a Spotter: Considerate and Present (v. 1)
Paul commands us: "We who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive."
Being considerate means we actively refuse to judge, condemn, or criticize a brother or sister who is struggling under a heavy weight. It is easy to stand back and point out someone else's weakness, but criticism never lifted a heavy bar!
Remember Limited Perspective: We rarely know the full backstory or hidden battles another person is carrying. Judging quickly only exposes our own lack of discernment.
Refuse Self-Pleasing Pride: Paul reminds us that Christ didn't live to please Himself. You don't make yourself bigger by tearing someone else down; in the long run, tearing down others only makes your own soul smaller.
2. Be a Coach: Helping Others Do Right (v. 2a)
Paul instructs us: "We should help others do what is right." This is the heart of coaching.
Coaching for the Future:
My grandson, Carver, transitioned from years of playing soccer to becoming a football kicker. His father started coaching him and then brought in former experienced kickers to work with him. Day after day, coaches examine every detail—his stance, his approach, his contact, and his follow-through—filming his kicks to help him refine his technique.
The legendary Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry was once asked what it was like to coach professional athletes. He famously replied: "I get paid to get grown men to do what they don't want to do, in order to achieve what they have always wanted to achieve."
That is our calling as spiritual coaches in the body of Christ. We walk alongside growing believers, helping them discipline their walk so they can become everything God created them to be.
3. Be an Encourager: Seeing Potential in the Pebble (v. 2b)
Paul commands us to "build them up in the Lord."
In a culture where almost everyone with a social media account becomes a harsh critic, true encouragers are rare and desperately needed. No one has ever built a monument to a critic! Encouragement inspires transformation in ways criticism never can.
Through the Holy Spirit, an encourager sees the hidden potential in a person before anyone else notices it.
From Pebble to Rock:
When Jesus met Simon, his name meant "pebble"—small, shifting, and easily rolled around. But Jesus looked at him and declared that he would become Peter—a solid rock (Matthew 16:18).
Despite Peter's impetuous mistakes and his tragic denial of Jesus, the Savior's encouraging vision held fast. On the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit empowered that former "pebble," transforming him into the rock who preached the opening sermon of the New Testament church, seeing 3,000 souls saved in a single day!
Reflection & Application
Are you acting as a spotter or a critic? When you see a fellow believer struggling under a heavy spiritual load, is your first instinct to criticize their form or step in to help lift the weight?
Who are you actively coaching? Are you allowing mature believers to coach you in your walk, and are you walking alongside younger believers to help them do what is right?
Are you seeing people like pebbles or rocks? How can you use your words to speak vision, hope, and Holy Spirit encouragement into someone's life today?
TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit, make me a faithful spotter in Your church. Give me a considerate, tender heart that notices when others are weary or struggling under heavy loads.
Forgive me for any critical, negative, or judgmental words I have spoken. Deliver me from the desire to please myself or make myself look better at the expense of others.
Fill my mouth with encouragement! Give me spiritual eyes to see the hidden potential in people—seeing them as You see them. Use my life to coach, strengthen, and build up Your people every single day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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