A Good Motto

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.

1 Corinthians 16:13

If you’re part of a group like the Girl Scouts or 4-H, you have a motto to live by. The Girl Scout motto is “Be prepared.” The 4-H motto is “To make the best better.” These mottoes help Girl Scouts or 4-H members focus on a specific task or character trait.

What would you choose if you were going to choose a motto as God’s princess? There are many things in Scripture that would make good mottoes. “Do to others what you would like them to do to you” (see Matthew 7:12). “Seek God first” (see Matthew 6:33). “Trust in the Lord with all your heart” (see Proverbs 3:5). Can you think of more?

Today’s verse is like a four-part motto for following God. “Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.” These are things the apostle Paul instructed the Christians in Corinth to do, and they are the same things God wants you to do.

The first command is to be on guard. Just as a soldier stands guard against attacks, you can be watchful and vigilant against sin. The more you read your Bible and the more you learn about Jesus, the easier it will be to spot things that are not pleasing to God.

The second part of the verse says to stand firm. God wants you to hold tight to what the Bible says and to your values and beliefs. He wants you to be confident in him and in what he can do. Then nothing can shake your faith.

The last two directions are to be courageous and to be strong. These are the same things God told Joshua in Joshua 1:9: “This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” God promised Joshua that he would be with him and lead him. He promises you the same thing. You aren’t leading the Israelites into a new land like Joshua was, but you are on a journey to draw closer to God and to live out the plan he has for you. You don’t have to have the strength and courage on your own. God will give you his.

What one verse or sentence would you use as your motto for your Christian journey? Write it on a card, and put it where you’ll see it. Ask God to help you live out your motto this week.