April 21, 2026 Devo

I watched a video of a pastor last week who shared a story of how he lost it on a hotel clerk. When he called down to let her know his room didn’t have running water, she simply said, “I know. I don’t know why, but your room is the only room that doesn’t have it.” Frustrated because she didn’t offer to fix it, move him, or make it right, the pastor went off on her. He gave full vent to his anger, saying pretty mean things to her. Finally, he said, “Do you have anything to say?” She said, “Yes.” Then she said, “I know who you are. You’ve preached at the Christian college I attend. I was so touched by your message and your ministry that I started watching you online, and even though I don’t have much, I try to send you a few dollars each month.”
Her words broke the pastor’s heart. He came down to the front desk, got on his knees, and begged for her forgiveness. He confessed that he was wrong and that how he treated her was selfish and sinful. The girl was gracious and forgiving. Sometime later, the pastor said he was preaching at that girl’s home church. He was humbled to discover from her pastor that even though the girl had told her pastor she had met him, she never disclosed how he treated her. So the pastor from the hotel had the embarrassing privilege of relaying the story to the pastor himself.
Isaiah shares how God designed for Jesus to “demonstrate God’s righteousness.” Jesus certainly did that each and every day that He walked upon this earth. But Jesus reminded us in John, “As God the Father sent Me, so send I YOU!” We’re SENT. Not just to preach, teach, and do lots of religious stuff. We’re sent to demonstrate the righteousness of God. That’s a bit more challenging, isn’t it?
Each day, we get the chance to demonstrate that righteousness by being patient with people who are frustrating us. Unfortunately, we sometimes fail at that task, like the angry pastor at the hotel did. That was NOT the righteousness of God. But then we can do what he did when he realized his sin. We can repent, own our failures, and humbly seek forgiveness from those we’ve hurt. That IS the righteousness of God! So is what the young hotel clerk did. She didn’t attack the pastor in return. She didn’t blow him up on social media. She didn’t throw him under the bus to her pastor at home. She FORGAVE. That is very much the righteousness of God! Each day, people are looking for a glimpse of God. Let’s let His Righteousness be demonstrated by US! That’s God’s Word for you today.