Know now then that the Lord your God is the only true God! He is the faithful God, who keeps the covenant and proves loyal to everyone who loves him and keeps his commands—even to the thousandth generation!
Reflection
Have you ever heard someone say, “Never meet your heroes”? It’s a strange warning, but it holds some truth. We often place people on pedestals. Maybe athletes, celebrities, even people in our everyday lives. We admire their talents, their achievements, and the way they seem to carry themselves. But sometimes, when we look closer, those heroes begin to show cracks. They’re human, just like us. And those cracks can leave us feeling disillusioned.
I remember a time in middle school when I unknowingly built a hero out of someone. English was my favorite subject, and my class was in the midst of a competition called the “Reading Olympics.” The goal was simple: read the most pages in a month and win. Since my teacher, Ms. Davis, was hosting it, our homeroom had the leaderboard right in front of us. I was determined. Day and night I read. I skipped sleep. I skipped hanging out with friends. I just wanted to catch up. But no matter how hard I tried, one girl—let’s call her Bethany— was ALWAYS ahead. I admired her so much. Her name felt like the bar I could never reach. I even began praying that I could just be like her. I needed to be faster, smarter, more driven. And when nothing changed, my prayers turned bitter. I started asking why god would make her so much better than me. I grew angry. I worked harder. But still, I couldn’t catch up.
Then, just one day before the competition ended, everything shifted. Maddie was disqualified for cheating. Her parents admitted she hadn’t even been reading at home. She’d just been writing down random book titles. The person I had idolized, envied, and exhausted myself over… wasn’t real. At least not in the way I had built her up to be.
It was a hard lesson, but it taught me something about the nature of God. Deuteronomy 7:9 reminds us that God is faithful. Not just to a generation or two, but to a thousand. God doesn’t play favorites. God doesn’t give out talents like prizes in a rigged game. God is steady. God keeps promises. The same God who walked with our ancestors walks with me. And walks with you. The truth is, we all want someone to look up to. But no human being, no matter how amazing, can match the faithfulness of God. When we compare ourselves to others, we often forget that God is working a different story in each of us. One that doesn’t need to mimic someone else’s highlight reel. And even when it feels like others are winning by cutting corners, God sees you. God knows your heart. God values faithfulness over flash.
So don’t measure your worth by someone else’s pace. Trust in the one who has been faithful to you from the start and will be always.
by Ali Clark
Prayer
God, thank you for your unshakable faithfulness. Forgive me for the times I’ve compared myself to others and doubted your plan for me. Help me to be faithful in what you’ve called me to do, and to remember that your love never changes. Thank you for seeing me, knowing me, and walking with me. Amen.
