How to Be a Mature Citizen
by Tracy Hicks on July 7th, 2026
Where are you looking for hope? In the news? The economy? The next election? Like Francis Scott Key searching through smoke for the American flag during the War of 1812, we're all looking for something to assure us everything will be okay. But what if lasting hope isn't found in any of those places? The Apostle Paul wrote to a fiercely patriotic church in Philippi with a radical message: "Our citizenship is in heaven." He wasn't dismissing their love for their country—he was elevating their identity beyond it. When we anchor our hope in something greater than circumstances, we become the kind of people who actually transform our communities. Paul shows us three directions to look: ahead (stop living in yesterday), around (follow the right examples), and up (something better is coming). This week, which direction do you need to focus on most? Read More