Be Good To People | Joel Osteen

1:55 It's always a joy to come into your homes. And if you're ever in our area, please stop by and be a part of one of our services. I promise you, we'll make you feel right at home. But thanks for tuning in and thank you again for coming out today. I like to start with something funny. I heard about this plane that was about to land. The flight attendant came over the loudspeaker and said, we'd like you to help welcome our new co-pilot. He's about to make his first commercial landing. So when the plane stops, please give him a big round of applause. In a few minutes, the plane made an extremely bumpy landing, bouncing up and down. She came back on, said, thanks for flying with us today. And don't forget to tell our new co-pilot which one of his three landings you liked best. Hold up your Bible. Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have. I can do what it says I can do. Today I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess my mind is alert. My heart is receptive. I will never be the same in Jesus name. God bless you. I want to talk to you today about being good to people. Everywhere we go, we should look for opportunities to be a blessing. It doesn't have to be something big. You bring your coworker a cup of coffee in the morning, a small act of kindness, or on the freeway, traffic backs up. You slow down.

3:22 You let that car in, in front of you, just being good to people. At the grocery store, the person behind you has fewer items. You tell them, go up ahead in front of me. You don't have to. There's nothing wrong if you don't, but you're on the lookout for ways that you can be good to people. On the forefront of your mind is not, how can I get blessed, but how can I be a blessing? I've learned if you will make somebody else's day, God will always make your own day. If you'll bring a smile to their face, God will bring a smile to your face. And this is the most rewarding way to live. Not what can I get, but what can I give? Not what can you do for me, but what can I do for you? The scripture says, Jesus went about doing good, healing all that were sick. The first thing Jesus did before healing, before ministering, before delivering was he was good to people. And we all have an assignment. You could say we all have a ministry. May not be up in front of people. May not be to go overseas and be a missionary. Our ministry is to be good to people. That's one of the best witnesses that we could ever have. You don't have to necessarily preach them a sermon.

4:41 You don't have to argue doctrine. Try to make them believe what you believe. Just be good to them. Our actions speak much louder than our words. We can say all day long, I love you, but true love is seen in what we do. If I really love you, I'll be good to you. If I really love you, I'll let you have the parking spot, even though I got there first. I'll prefer you. God said to Abraham, I will bless you and you will be a blessing. One key to being blessed is are you willing to be a blessing? God is not going to increase us in the way he wants if we don't make it a priority to be good to people. I met an older gentleman after the service. He'd been at the pharmacy earlier that week to pick up a prescription. He thought his insurance would pay more of it. He ended up not having enough money.

5:35 There was a young man in line behind him that attends Lakewood. He'd just finished working out and ran in there to get something to drink. He overheard this conversation, how the man didn't have enough money. He said to him, you stay here. I'll be back in 10 minutes. He ran home, got his wallet, came back and bought the man's prescription. The older man was so excited. He said, Joel, I came to Lakewood today for the first time because if there are people like that at Lakewood, then I want to be here. Friends, being good to people is better than preaching a sermon. Being kind, generous, compassion speaks much louder than any words. We should have a goal every day to do at least one good thing for somebody else. Don't wait for a special occasion. It doesn't have to be Christmas, their birthday, their anniversary, Valentine's.

6:30 No, just an ordinary day. Bring your spouse home some flowers. You're at the mall and you see that blouse that would look good on your friend. Buy it and take it to her. What's this for? It's not my birthday. It's not christmas. No, it's because you're my friend and I want to be good to you That young man that delivers pizza to your house You don't even really know him but sometimes for no reason at all bless him with an extra twenty dollars You can't be good to everyone But you can be good to the people god put in your life You need to study them Listen to what they're saying be sensitive to their needs Man was helping me on a project He said just in passing Wow, joel your computer monitor is so clear The clarity and the sharpness is amazing. I said yes, it is and what kind of monitor do you have? He said oh man, my monitor is like eight years old. It's not clear at all The next week he had a monitor just like mine Galatians 6 10 says don't miss an opportunity to be good to people If I wouldn't have been sensitive not only would he not have been blessed, but when you're good to people, you're sowing a seed for God to be good to you.

7:46 I would have missed out on a blessing. Well, Joel, I don't have extra money to buy a computer monitor. Maybe not, but can you buy a cup of coffee for a friend? Can you stay late and help that coworker finish a project? Can you clean the kitchen, give your spouse a night off? Can you take time to compliment someone, brighten their day? that doesn't cost anything. Don't miss opportunities to be good to people. You hear your co-worker talking about how they've got to take their car into the shop for repairs. Hey, can I give you a ride? You need me to swing by and pick you up in the morning? You're on the lookout. That young couple, they just had a baby. You hear them talking about how tired they are, how they're not getting any sleep. Don't say, oh yeah, I remember those days. That's a really tough time. No, be sensitive. That's an opportunity to be a blessing. Hey, how about my spouse and I come over and babysit?

8:40 You guys go out to eat one night, have some fun. Are you looking for ways you can be good to people? The more you bless others, the more God will bless you. I was in a hotel lobby one time. A man was talking on his cell phone when his battery died. It must have been an important call because he was very frustrated, stressed out over it. who's an Asian man, dressed very nicely. And I was standing next to him. I just pulled my cell phone out and said, here, use mine. He said, no, no, I'm calling long distance. I said, that's okay. You can call wherever you want to. He seemed very surprised. He said, are you sure? I said, yes, I'm sure. When I heard him calling Korea, I almost changed my mind.

9:24 Thought, God, let the call drop, please. But five minutes later, He handed me my cell phone back and said in the most genuine voice. Thank you so much I could tell that simple act of kindness had brightened his day May it cost me a few dollars, but i've learned when i'm good to other people. God will always be good back to me I could have I could have ignored it Thought oh too bad his cell phone dies happens all the time. I don't know the man. It's his problem Not mine. No, I realized my assignment is to be good to people. That's one of the main reasons God has put us here. And if we're going to reach our highest potential, we have to make it a priority to be a blessing. Not just big things, small things. Borrow my cell phone, give a compliment, give a ride home, stay late and help a coworker. All through the day, we should be looking for ways we can be good to people.

12:00 There was a man standing in line with his small son to buy tickets to go to the circus. Right in front of him was a young couple with eight small children. They were all under the age of 12. They were well-behaved and clean-cut, but he could tell by what they were wearing, they didn't have a lot of money. They were so excited about going to the circus. The young couple stepped up to the counter. The man asked proudly for eight children's tickets and two adults. When the attendant told how much it was going to cost, his wife dropped her head. The husband leaned closer and said, how much did you say it would be? The attendant told him again. He didn't know what to say. It's obvious he didn't have enough money. The man in line behind him, watching all this take place, pulled $40 out of his pocket, discreetly dropped it on the ground.

12:57 He picked it up and said, excuse me, sir. I think this money may have fallen out of your pocket The man looked at him knowing exactly what he was doing He said with a small tear running down his cheek. Thank you, sir from the bottom of my heart Friends the real joy in life is not in what we get but in what we give There is no greater feeling Than in making somebody else's day We were never created to be ingrown and think about me and my dreams and my problems and my challenges. That's a shallow way to live. It's why some people are not happy. We were created to be givers. And when you help make somebody else's dream come to pass, God will always make your own dream come to pass. Proverbs 11, 17 puts it this way.

13:50 Your own soul is nourished when you are kind. When you're good to others, yes, you're doing them a favor, but really you're doing yourself a favor. Your own soul is being strengthened. Your own life is being enriched. It's like this lady I heard about. She was stopped at an intersection in her car. This beggar came over, knocked on the window and asked her for some money. She rolled down the window and said to the man, listen, sir, I'm going to give you a dollar, but not because of you, but because it makes me feel good. The man said, ma'am, why don't you make it $10 and thoroughly enjoy yourself?

14:31 Paul said in second Corinthians, I want you to excel in the gracious ministry of giving. He could have said, I want you to excel in business, excel in sports, excel in medicine. That's all good. But he said, what I want you to really be great at, what I want you to excel in is in giving. I've made up my mind. I'm going to live my life as a giver and not a taker. If you get around me, I better warn you, you're going to get blessed. I'm going to study ways that I can be good to you. I'm going to encourage you. I'm going to buy your dinner. I'm going to be good to your children. I'm going to help make your dreams come to pass. See, when I come to the end of my life, I don't want people to say, oh yeah, Joel, he had that big church, didn't he? He wrote some nice books. Now I want them to say, Joel was a giver. Joel made me better. Joel brightened my day. Joel was good to me. I've heard it said, if you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a month, get married. If you want, I didn't say this. Somebody else did.

15:44 If you want happiness for a year, win the lottery. But if you want happiness for a lifetime, be good to people. So often we are praying for a miracle. We have to realize we can become someone's miracle. Look around at who God has put in your life. You may be their miracle. That man with the $40, he became a miracle for that young family wanting to go to the circus. That young man at the pharmacy, he became a miracle for that older gentleman. There may be miracles in your closet, miracles in storage, that furniture, that equipment, those outfits you're never going to wear again. You could give them to a friend and become their miracle. I was leaving Minute Maid Park a few years ago. The ball game had just ended.

16:35 And as I was driving off, it started to rain really hard. Thousands of people were coming out. It's a long walk to their cars. I couldn't do something for everyone, but I did have one umbrella in my back seat, pulled over to the side, rolled down my window. Two ladies were running to their cars with their programs over their head. I said, here, have my umbrella. They couldn't believe it. One lady said, that's amazing. She just said, God, I wish I had an umbrella. I said, God must have heard you because here it is. You can become someone's miracle. Well, Joel, I am not going to give away my umbrella to a total stranger. It cost me $22.95. Listen, you can't out give God. The scripture says, give and your gifts will come back to you, pressed down, shaken together, running over. When you're good to people, when you meet a need, when you become a miracle, God will make sure that you get paid back. Your gifts, your generosity, your kindness will come back to you. It's funny. I had had that umbrella forever. It was like 10 years old. It was cheap to begin with. It never did work right. But several months later, I was leaving a big hotel in another city. It was raining. The bellman had this big fancy umbrella.

18:00 It was two umbrellas combined. He walked us to our car and just as about to close the door, he said, Joel, do you have an umbrella? I said, no, I don't. He shook it off and said, here, take this one. We got a bunch of them. I thought, God, you are so good. I gave up my old beat up umbrella and you gave me back a double wide. I get my whole family under this one. That's the way God is. You go around being good to people and God will make sure that people are good. Back to you. I read a story about a young man that grew up very poor in a small city. He would go door to door selling different items to try to pay his way through college. At one point, he only had a dime to his name. He was so hungry. He hadn't eaten properly in a couple of days. He got his nerve up. The next house he knocked on, he was going to ask them for something to eat. A very attractive young lady answered the door about 16 years old when he saw how beautiful she was He lost his nerve and wouldn't ask for anything. She said young man, you look like you're starving You look like you're so hungry. Can I get you something to eat?

19:09 He said no, I just like a drink of water She went in brought him back a big glass of cold milk He thought he had won the lottery. He hadn't had milk in the longest time couldn't ever remember being able to drink a whole glass. He drank it down all in one big gulp, felt so refreshed and re-energized, reached in his pocket for the 10 cent to pay the young lady. She said, no, you don't owe me anything. My mother taught me to never accept pay for an act of kindness. Years later, that young lady became seriously ill. She was treated in the local hospital in the small town, but doctors couldn't find out what was wrong with her. They sent her away to the big city to the leading specialist, a man named Dr. Howard Kelly. When Dr. Kelly saw on her chart the city she was from, he was very intrigued. He rushed down to her room, took one look at her, and immediately recognized her. Dr. Kelly took on this case personally, went to great lengths to do everything he could to make sure she got well.

20:22 Sure enough, four months later, she had totally recovered and was ready to leave the hospital. Dr. Kelly requested that his business office send the bill through him personally so he could approve. The woman dreaded looking at the bill, knowing that it would probably take her her lifetime to pay it off. But when she opened that bill, Dr. Kelly had written in big letters, paid in full with one glass of cold milk. here's my point. When you're kind to people in their time of need, God will make sure somebody will be kind to you in your time of need. Your gifts will come back to you. Every opportunity you have, be good to people. You don't know why God has put that person in your path. It's not a coincidence. God has strategically lined up every person, every detail, every step of your life. Now do your part. Don't miss an opportunity to do good. Even small things, giving a glass of cold milk, giving somebody a ride, letting them use your cell phone.

21:31 Well, you say, Joel, I've got my own challenges. I'm dealing with this health issue. I've got these problems in my finances. I didn't come all the way out here to hear about being good to people. I want somebody to be good to me. No, you got to sow a seed. Psalm 37 says, trust in the Lord and do good. Most of us know how to trust. We're believing for a breakthrough, believing for healing, believing for a promotion. We've got the trusting down. Now we've got to move on to step two and be good to somebody. Be a blessing. If you will become a miracle, that is the seed God will use for your own miracle. But in difficult times, it's easy to fall into self-pity and think about my problems and can't believe this is happening. I don't understand it. No, get your mind off yourself and go out and be a blessing to someone. Being good to people in your time of need is one of the most powerful things you can do. Don't let that difficulty cause you to become ingrown and sour and I don't feel like doing it. No, shake it off and go out and be a blessing.

22:44 The medical report may not look good, but don't you sit around at home all day and just think about it. Get out of the house and go cheer up that neighbor. If you can't leave, bake some cookies and give it to the mailman. If you can't get out of bed, at least pick up the phone and go call and encourage a friend. When God sees you not only trusting, but doing good to people, that's when he promises your gifts will come back. Your kindness will be returned. You'll not only come out, you'll come out better off than you were before. There was a lady that owned a coffee shop in another state, a drive-through business. One morning, a customer pulled in, ordered her coffee. When she went to pay, she said, I wanna pay not only for my coffee, but for the coffee of the person behind me, a total stranger. The next car pulled up.

23:36 The owner said with a big smile, your coffee is free today. The lady in front of you bought it for you. The man was pleasantly surprised. He said, well, I want to buy the coffee of the person behind me. Total stranger. This string continued for over two hours and more than 80 customers. What am I saying? Being good to people is contagious. when you go out of your way to show kindness, you start a chain reaction. You compliment someone, puts them in a good mood and they compliment someone else on and on. There are enough chain reactions in the negative. They are rude to me. I'm upset. I'm going to be rude to somebody. No, let's start some chain reactions of kindness, chain reactions of being good to people, not waiting for special occasions. No, I heard you going on a trip. Let me run you up to the airport so you don't have to pay that money for parking. Your generosity will not only bless that person. It's not only a seed for God to bless you, but it's contagious. It will inspire them to be good to others. I wonder what would happen if every one of us would do at least one good thing for somebody every single day. What would our office be like, our school, our home, if we made it a priority to brighten somebody else's day? My friend Roxanne teaches our two children in school. She found out that I like this certain kind of muffin from a bakery for breakfast in the morning. A couple of times a week, sometimes more, she'll get up early, go to the bakery, and bring me that muffin.

25:18 I never asked her to do it. In fact, I said, Roxanne, don't do it. You don't need to get up early, but she lives to be good to people. She could go get it the night before. She wouldn't have to get up so early, but she won't do it. She wants it to be freshly made. She'll call them early and say, put a new muffin in. I'm going to be there in 30 minutes. She'll get to the bakery, wait till it comes out of the oven so she could bring it to the house while it's still warm. It's just a $2 muffin, but it brightens my day. You don't have to do something big. Small things can make a big difference. Small acts of kindness will be remembered for a lifetime. I heard about an eight-year-old boy named Barry. He was in a small grocery store in rural Idaho, staring at the beautiful display of vegetables. His family was very poor, struggling to make ends meet. The owner of the store an older gentleman named mr. Miller came over and said Barry. How are you doing today?

26:20 He said fine mr. Miller. I'm just admiring the peas Mr. Miller asked if he wanted some he said no mr. Miller. I don't have any money. I'm just looking Mr. Miller said well, Barry What do you have that you can trade me for some of those peas? Reached in his pocket said all I have are these shiny marbles. They were his prized possessions never went anywhere without them. Mr. Miller said, let me see those marbles, Barry. And he looked at him and said, wow, they sure are beautiful. The only thing, Barry, is I like red marbles and all you have are blues and greens. You take this sack of peas home and the next time you come in, let me see one of your red marbles. A local businessman was in the store watching all this take place, brought a smile to his face. A couple of days later, Barry came in with his red marble. Mr. Miller said, I don't know, Barry. I thought I would like red better, but I think now I like blues better. You take this sack of potatoes home and the next time you come in, let me see one of those blues. This happened time and time again. For years, Mr. Miller gave free vegetables to bury in his family, always asking to see a different color marble. Fast forward 23 years, Mr. Miller died. They were having the viewing. Three young men in their early 30s came in, two dressed in army uniforms and one in a nice suit. They walked up to the casket together, giving Mrs. Miller a big hug, whispering something in her ear. As she watched each young man placed their hand on Mr. Miller's hand, it brought tears to her eyes. Later that evening during the viewing, the businessman came in, told Mrs. Miller how he had seen firsthand how her husband Jim was such a fine man. He'd given groceries to a little boy just for letting him look at his marbles.

28:24 Ms. Miller smiled and said, Jim did that for three young men, always saying it wasn't the right color marble. She said, but now Jim doesn't have a choice about the color or the size of the marble. She walked up to the casket with the man and she gently lifted up her husband's lifeless hand and underneath were three shiny red marbles left there by the three young men. Friends, kind deeds will never be forgotten. It may seem small to you, but they'll be remembered for a lifetime. Take time to be good to people. Look for ways that you can make their day. Don't miss an opportunity to be a blessing. This is where the true joy in life is really found. Remember, when you become a miracle, that is the seed God will use for your own miracle.

29:19 Have a goal every day to do at least one good thing for somebody else. Let's start some chain reactions of kindness. Have the attitude, not how can I get blessed today, but how can I be a blessing? Don't wait for a special occasion. Let every day be a blessing day. And if you will develop this simple habit of being good to people, I can assure you, you'll be happier, your life will be more rewarding, plus God promises your gifts will come back to you. In your time of need, the right people will be there, The right doors will open. I believe and declare you will see God's goodness in amazing ways. And you will live the life of victory that he has in store in Jesus name. If you receive it, can you say amen today?

30:09 We never like to close our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus. I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and Savior. Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in a good Bible-based church. Keep God first place. He's going to take you places that you've never dreamed.