Live by the Red Words
I’d say I’m spiritual, though I don’t belong to any one religion. I’m open to many beliefs and interpretations, but one thing I can’t deny is the power of the red words: the words of Jesus. They cut through noise and ritual, through politics and pretense. They remind us how to live, how to love, and how to lead.
I think we can all agree that not everything in the Bible feels directly relevant to life today, but these words? They’re timeless. They challenge greed, call out hypocrisy, and demand mercy, compassion, and humility. Even if you set religion aside, what’s left is wisdom that makes the world better for ourselves and for our children. Just to name a few…
1. John 13:34
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
Meaning: It’s pretty clear. Love is the foundation of everything.
2. Matthew 7:12
“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.”
Meaning: The Golden Rule — simple, universal.
3. Luke 12:15
“Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
Meaning: Life is not about wealth or stuff, greed leaves you empty.
4. Luke 11:46
“Woe to you… because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.”
Meaning: Leadership without compassion is cruelty.
5. Mark 3:24–25
“If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.”
Meaning: Division destroys from the inside out. Unity is essential.
6. Matthew 9:13
“Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’”
Meaning: God values kindness and compassion more than rituals or appearances.
7. Luke 22:25–26
“The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them… But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.”
Meaning: Real leadership is humble service, not domination.
8. Matthew 25:45
“Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.”
Meaning: How we treat the vulnerable is how we treat Christ Himself.
9. Matthew 26:52
“Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.”
Meaning: Violence breeds more violence, it is not the way forward.
10. Matthew 5:44
“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Meaning: Radical love, even for those who oppose you.
These are not just ancient lines in red ink. They are living words that still confront us today — in our homes, in our communities, in our leadership, and in our hearts. They unsettle us when we fall short, but they also lift us higher, showing us a better way.
I may not subscribe to a single religion. But I believe this: if we lived by these red words — and if our leaders did too — the world, and our own lives, would look a whole lot different.
“Any religion that professes to be concerned about the souls of men and is not concerned about the social and economic conditions that strangle them is a spiritually moribund religion.”
