There’s something deeply powerful about the story in John 5:8–11, where Jesus healed the man at the pool of Bethesda. After years of waiting for a miracle, Jesus told him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.”

Notice what happened next, Jesus did something, and the man also did something. The miracle was a partnership. While the divine power brought healing, the man still had to carry his bed himself. That moment revealed a profound truth:

God can do everything, but He will not do the things He has given you the power to do.

This is the essence of the call to show up and stand out, understanding where divinity ends and where human responsibility begins.

Transformation happens when we take charge of the part that is ours to play. If we keep calling on God to do what He has already empowered us to handle, we gradually lose our sense of agency and begin to feel powerless.

To show up and stand out in life, we must be proactive, not reactive. As Stephen Covey put it, the first habit of highly effective people is to be proactive — to exercise the power to respond. Each time you do that, you disappoint the devil and make room for God’s blessings to manifest in your life.

Information is the foundation for transformation. Challenges, corruption, or environmental difficulties do not excuse bad character or mediocrity. Instead, they are opportunities for self-education and growth. The most important things that shape your life are the things you do for yourself, not what others do for you.

So, take responsibility. Define your vision, set clear goals, plan diligently, and take consistent action. True greatness lies in service, in contributing to the lives of others. That’s what makes you a leader and a role model.

As role models, we don’t join the chorus of complaints; we create solutions. We don’t merely survive the system, we stand out by transforming it.

When you show up and stand out, you move from waiting for change to becoming the change God wants to see in the world.

An excerpt from the sermon by Pastor Sam Adeyemi on Sunday, October 5, 2025.

Watch this sermon here