Hope is not the same as optimism. Optimism says, "Everything will work out." Hope says, "God is faithful, even when things don't work out the way I wanted." Optimism is a feeling. Hope is a foundation.

There's something freeing about knowing who you're really working for. I once knew someone who worked a difficult job with demanding clients and unreasonable expectations. But he had this perspective that kept him grounded. He'd say, "I'm not ultimately working for them. I'm working for the Lord." It didn't make the job easy, but it changed how he approached it. Instead of being controlled by whether people appreciated him or not, he found meaning in offering his work as an act of devotion to God.

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to lose steam? You start something with enthusiasm—a new routine, a spiritual practice, a commitment to a relationship—and for a while, you're all in. But then life gets busy. The newness wears off. The effort feels harder than it did at first. And before you know it, you're lagging. You're going through the motions. The fire has dimmed.

These aren't just nice ideas or inspirational quotes to stick on your fridge. They're a vision for how we live—not occasionally, not when we feel like it, but as a way of life. Devotion, Paul is saying, shows up in how we love. And love isn't just a feeling. It's a choice we make with our whole selves.

What if I told you that competition could actually be holy? That there's a kind of rivalry that doesn't divide but unites, that doesn't tear down but builds up? That's exactly what Paul is proposing in today’s passage. 

The depth and authenticity of our devotion to God is revealed in how we relate to one another. Scripture is clear: we cannot claim to love God while harboring hatred toward those who bear His image (1 John 4:20).