HOW DO WE…look out for one another?

Look Out for One Another

When Paul writes, “Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others,” it’s not just advice—it’s a vision for how we live together. Jesus modeled this kind of self-giving love again and again: healing the hurting, reaching out to the excluded, standing with those that others tried to silence. And he invites us to do the same.

But let’s be honest—it’s not always easy. Looking out for one another means slowing down when everything in us wants to speed up. It means noticing someone else’s need when we’re already overwhelmed by our own. It means showing up, even when we’re not sure what to say or do.

Sometimes it’s dramatic. Most of the time, it’s not. It’s sitting with someone who’s grieving. Asking the follow-up question. Offering a ride. Making room.

For me, the thing that most often gets in the way of looking out for others isn’t that I don’t care. And sometimes, it’s not even that I don’t notice or lack the ability to help. What usually holds me back is much simpler: it’s inconvenient. It would require me to change my plans, adjust my schedule, or do something I’d rather avoid.

That might sound small, but inconvenience can be a surprisingly strong barrier. It takes real intention to push past that voice in our heads that says, “They’ll probably be fine,” or “I just don’t have it in me today.” But Paul’s invitation—and the way of Jesus—is a call to choose discomfort when it means lifting someone else up. That’s the cross!

That’s the kind of community we want to be—a place where people are seen, known, and cared for. Where compassion isn’t limited to convenience. Where kids learn that kindness matters more than popularity, and adults keep growing in empathy, humility, and courage.

So this week: look up. Look out. And let’s keep practicing the kind of love that sees beyond itself.

Grace & Peace,

Kim Herbert