I was watching a video this morning—an experiment designed to test the hearts of everyday people. In the clip, a man casually walked up to another and patted him on the back. The unsuspecting man smiled and kept walking, unaware that a degrading image had been taped to his back in that moment.
What followed was telling.
Crowds of people saw it. Some laughed. Some pulled out their phones to record or take pictures. Most just walked by—doing absolutely nothing. No one stopped him. No one spoke up. No one said, “Hey, there’s something on your back.”
And as I sat there watching, something shifted in me—because this wasn't just an experiment. This is real life. We see it every day. In our families. At work. On our phones. We see wrong happening, and still - we stay silent.
But the video didn’t end there.
Another group of people passed by, and their response was different. One by one, they removed the image. Some ripped it up. Some crumbled it in their hands. Some told the man what had been done behind his back. They stepped in—not because they had to, but because it was right.
And that’s the moment that asked me a deeper question: Which side will we stand on?
Will we be the ones who stay silent—or the ones who step in?
You don’t always have to speak to make a difference—sometimes your presence says more than words ever could. But doing nothing is still a choice. When someone is hurting, check on them. When they’re struggling, stand beside them. And when you see something wrong, don’t look away.
Jesus said in John 15:12, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”And in Galatians 5:14, “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
But how can we love our neighbor if we don’t know what love really looks like?
Sometimes love is a simple act of kindness. Sometimes it’s just listening. And sometimes—it’s ripping that image off someone’s back, even when no one else will.
I remember a time when I stayed quiet. I saw something wrong and walked away, telling myself it wasn’t my business. But God used that moment to teach me something: what you ignore, you allow. And what you allow, you become a part of.
Jesus knew betrayal would come. In John 6:70, He said, “Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” Judas walked with Him, prayed with Him, witnessed miracles—and still betrayed Him.
Even Peter, who swore loyalty to Jesus, denied Him three times. But Jesus didn’t discard him. In Luke 22:31-32, Jesus said, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you… and when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
That means Jesus knew Peter would fall. But He also knew Peter would come back.
Peter went on to preach one of the greatest sermons in Acts 2, leading over 3,000 people to salvation. That’s the grace of God. Where you start isn’t where you have to finish.
Some of you reading this are silently carrying a burden no one knows about. You're smiling, but struggling. You're showing up, but you're worn out. And others may not see it, but God does.
Some of you have been betrayed by those you trusted most. Others have been overlooked, dismissed, or even laughed at by those who should’ve lifted you up. And now, in the quiet of your pain, you're asking, “God... where are You in all of this?”
Let me remind you: He is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit(Psalm 34:18). You are not forgotten. Not by the One who matters most.
And if you’ve been the one who walked by… the one who stayed silent… the one who laughed…Here’s the truth: It’s not too late. God’s mercy is new every morning (Lamentations 3:22–23).
Today, you can choose differently. Choose love. Choose courage. Choose to reflect the heart of Jesus. Ask God for discernment—because not everyone in your life is sent by God, and not every enemy is meant for harm. Sometimes your greatest breakthroughs come from the most unexpected places.
And above all—walk in love. Jesus didn’t just lay His life down for you. He did it for the world. He did it for the ones who hurt Him, denied Him, and mocked Him. That’s the love we’re called to reflect.
Because sometimes, the smallest act of love carries the loudest echo in someone’s life.
Pray with me:
Father God, thank You for opening my eyes. Forgive me for the times I stayed silent, for the moments I turned away instead of leaning in. Give me courage to stand for what’s right, even when it’s uncomfortable. Give me discernment to know who is for me and who is not. Teach me to love like You—with compassion, truth, and boldness. And if I’ve fallen short, remind me that You’re not done with me. You’re the God of redemption. Make my heart more like Yours, and help me be a light in someone else’s darkness.
