Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 21) – September 28, 2025
“The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.”
- Psalm 146:8b –

We think we need to conform to the world to succeed. The underdog never wins; the underdog gets stepped on and pushed aside. The underdog is seen as a failure, as cursed and rejected, so we conform to the expectations of the world to get ahead. However, the underdog is often the person who is not willing to conform. He or she is the one that puts integrity ahead of success, unwilling to lie, cheat, or steal to get ahead.
The psalmist reminds us that God loves those who love Him. He is our help in our successes and though our failures. He upholds us, gives us food, sets us free, gives us sight, and lifts us up. He guides and guards us when we are far from home or when we have lost those we love. He protects us from our enemies. He is the Lord God Almighty and our hope is found in Him, through the blood of Jesus Christ. We all experience rejection. Sometimes it is our faith that puts us in that position. It is so tempting to conform to the ways around us, to do what we need to do to fit in or to succeed according to the expectations of the world. However, there is blessedness in the life of the underdog who lives by faith because God regards those in humble circumstances. When we are the underdog, we look to someone greater for our help and hope. As people of faith, it is God to whom we turn. 
We are given faith to be a blessing to others, reconciling people and sharing God’s grace. This means turning away from the things that distract us; it means keeping our priorities right. It means keeping God in focus and remembering that He is the Lord of heaven and earth. It means being the best we can be with integrity and grace. We will be blessed when we conform to God’s Will because He has promised to be the help, the hope, and the salvation of those who love Him.

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 21) – September 28, 2025
“The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.”
- Psalm 146:8b –

We think we need to conform to the world to succeed. The underdog never wins; the underdog gets stepped on and pushed aside. The underdog is seen as a failure, as cursed and rejected, so we conform to the expectations of the world to get ahead. However, the underdog is often the person who is not willing to conform. He or she is the one that puts integrity ahead of success, unwilling to lie, cheat, or steal to get ahead.
The psalmist reminds us that God loves those who love Him. He is our help in our successes and though our failures. He upholds us, gives us food, sets us free, gives us sight, and lifts us up. He guides and guards us when we are far from home or when we have lost those we love. He protects us from our enemies. He is the Lord God Almighty and our hope is found in Him, through the blood of Jesus Christ. We all experience rejection. Sometimes it is our faith that puts us in that position. It is so tempting to conform to the ways around us, to do what we need to do to fit in or to succeed according to the expectations of the world. However, there is blessedness in the life of the underdog who lives by faith because God regards those in humble circumstances. When we are the underdog, we look to someone greater for our help and hope. As people of faith, it is God to whom we turn. 
We are given faith to be a blessing to others, reconciling people and sharing God’s grace. This means turning away from the things that distract us; it means keeping our priorities right. It means keeping God in focus and remembering that He is the Lord of heaven and earth. It means being the best we can be with integrity and grace. We will be blessed when we conform to God’s Will because He has promised to be the help, the hope, and the salvation of those who love Him.