FRESH Official Podcast

Is it just me, or is the world becoming more cut-throat? How often do you see large lending institutions portray themselves with warm, fluffy, family-oriented images in their advertising in order to attract new customers? But then, the first time someone's struggling to make their repayments, they sell their house from underneath them. And hey, it's not just the banks.

Okay, a hypothetical … let's imagine a cutthroat industry — say, tech finance — where everyone's playing the angles. Interest rates are dynamic, contracts are airtight, and the fine print is where the real profits lie.

But there's one firm that operates differently. Quietly. Doesn't spike rates on vulnerable clients. Doesn't squeeze the little guy. Instead, it offers fair terms. Extends grace. Eats the occasional loss. Builds trust.

The other guys laugh and say, "Nice guys finish bankrupt." Then comes the crash. Markets nose-dive. Credit dries up. Clients default. And the sharks? They panic. Everyone's out for themselves — suing, ghosting, collapsing.

But here's the twist: that one firm? The one that showed mercy? It's the one clients run towards. Because in the dark, people remember who had the light.

Psalm 112:4-5 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous. Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice. (NIV)

Sure, sometimes things are tough, and the temptation always is to play things to your own advantage: To tell the odd white lie. To be economical with the truth with the intention to deceive. Why not? Who's going to notice?

But whatever your space, whatever your gig happens to be, conduct your affairs with justice because …good will come to those who are generous and lend freely

That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.

As the storms of division rage ever more violently across society, do you ever feel that everyone's talking but no one's listening? And, let's be honest, have you ever found yourself doing the very same thing? Sometimes, the only reason we shut up is to think of what to say next, not to listen, not to try to understand what the other person's saying. Guilty as charged, eh?

Jane Addams was a pioneer of social reform and peacebuilding in Chicago during the late 19th and early 20th centuries - building bridges between the wealthy and the poor. At a time of intense labour unrest and class conflict, she chose not to take sides immediately. Instead, she sat with both industrial workers and wealthy business leaders, listening intently, even when both sides distrusted her.

She believed that deep, genuine listening could break cycles of violence and resentment. Though she couldn't stop all the violence, her approach brought healing and lasting change in local communities. She became a peacemaker by being slow to speak and quick to listen, helping people feel seen, heard, and human.

James 1:19-20 You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God's righteousness. (NRSV)

It's not rocket science, is it? As clinical psychologist and author, Dr Henry Cloud points out, so many conflicts go away when someone feels heard. Which is why listening can calm the storm before it even begins.

Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger … because no amount of anger will ever give you the right result.

That's God's Word. Fresh … for you … today.

So, let me ask you, what's your definition of wisdom? Someone you meet could be incredibly smart and successful, yet you take one look at them and in about three seconds you conclude that "wise" is the last label you'd ascribe to them. Why?

In the 1950's and early 60's, Swede Dag Hammarskjöld served as the second Secretary-General of the United Nations. In a world riddled with Cold War tensions, jealousy, and political posturing, Hammarskjöld quietly embodied a different kind of leadership—marked by humility, moral clarity, and a deep, personal faith in God.

He often turned to solitude, prayer, and service rather than ambition or power games. His posthumously published spiritual journal, Markings, revealed a life shaped not by ego but by surrender.

While others sought position, he sought peace—becoming a quiet force for justice and reconciliation. He died in a mysterious plane crash while en route to negotiate peace in the Congo. His was a life exemplified by an otherworldly, godly kind of wisdom.

James 3:16-17 Where there is jealousy and selfishness, there will be confusion and every kind of evil. But the wisdom that comes from God is like this: First, it is pure. It is also peaceful, gentle, and easy to please. This wisdom is always ready to help people who have trouble and to do good for others. This wisdom is always fair and honest.

Friend, true wisdom shows up in how you live, not just what you achieve. Wisdom is knowing how to apply God's truth, how to live that truth. And people are hungry for that. Be wise, otherworldly wise … godly wise.

That's His Word. Fresh … for you … today.

Whenever we get to the point of believing that we know it all, there's one thing for certain: we really have no idea what's going on. We're so blinded by our own puffed-up sense of knowing, that we're blinded to the fact that we know little to nothing. And let's face it, we've all been there.

Most of us have that one thing that we're really good at; that one thing that we're better at than most of those around us. Possibly you're one of those people who, unlike me, intuitively senses how others are feeling. So it's easy for you to look down your nose at me, and think to yourself, "What's the matter with him? I am so much better than that!"

And me, I can write like the wind. I can pull together complex ideas and explain them in a simple yet compelling way. How easy is it for me then, to look down my nose at others?

When we behave like that, our pride clouds our judgement and without doubt it'll bring us crashing down at some point. So, here's God's alternative:

Proverbs 2:3-6 Ask for good judgment. Cry out for understanding. Look for wisdom like silver. Search for it like hidden treasure. If you do this, you will understand what it means to respect the LORD, and you will come to know God. The LORD is the source of wisdom; knowledge and understanding come from his mouth.

Smart people give smart answers, but wise people ask smart questions. They're humble, they're teachable, which is exactly what God calls us to be. Ask Him for good judgement. Cry out for understanding.

That's His Word. Fresh … for you … today.

These days, the whole self-discovery thing seems to have become all the rage. I need to know myself and not be ashamed of who I really am. Yeah, right. Look around. How well is all that introspection serving us in this increasingly self-obsessed, narcissistic world in which we live?

Back in the day, Greek philosopher Aristotle posited that knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom. Indeed, the famous maxim "Know thyself" was inscribed at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. Socrates and Plato were also big fans.

So, what does all that ancient history have to do with us, here, today? Well, there's a multi-billion dollar, global self-help industry that's rooted in this whole self-discovery thing; in the notion that you are your own solution; that you already have everything you need inside you—you just need to unlock it. Endless tools, books, courses, and coaching are all designed to help you "discover your true self."

But the further you go down this rabbit hole of introspection, the deeper you sink into a subjective self-centredness that right now is tearing this world apart, wouldn't you agree?

God's plan, as it turns out, is the complete opposite:

Proverbs 3:5-8  Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be a healing for your flesh and a refreshment for your body.(NRSV)

So, sure … be self-aware. Totally. But real wisdom doesn't come from looking inward—it comes from looking upward. Don't rely on your own insight but in all your ways acknowledge God and He will make straight your paths.

Friend, that's His Word. Fresh … for you … today.