Therefore this is what the LORD says: “If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but you must not turn to them. – Jeremiah 15:19

Today's Scripture Reading (July 12, 2026): Jeremiah 15

In 2017, President Donald Trump’s then White House Press Secretary, Sean Spicer, summed up his understanding of his job quite well before the White House Press Corps. The question that was posed was “What do you think about the (fill in the blank with the subject matter of the day)?” Spicer’s response was basically “It is not my job to tell you what I think; it is my job to tell you what the President thinks.” The tactic has become a normal one for the press. Donald Trump says something that bends the limits of their credulity, and the question to Trump supporters and employees is “Can you believe that? Do you agree with the President?” And the way that the question is asked leads us to believe that a negative response is expected. “You can’t honestly agree with the point of view of the President?” Spicer’s response reiterates that from the podium, he speaks what the President would have him speak. His job is to understand the President's mind, answer questions, and provide information from the President's perspective. When Sean Spicer or any other White House Press Secretary speaks, we should hear the voice of the President currently in office. Spicer was right. As much as we would all love to hear him say that he agrees or disagrees with the Presidential position, that is simply not his job. His job is to speak with the voice of the President.

As Christians, we have the same expectation placed on us. We talk with the mind of God. The expectation is that we would be in tune with what the Bible says and speak with the voice of the one who inspired the writing of these ancient words. This ideal is what has led some of us within the church to feel disappointment and even betrayal at words spoken in recent days by influential Christians like Franklin Graham. Some believe that the words being spoken, words that have seemed to go back and forth from, at the very least, indifference, to at times hate, are not flowing from the mind of Christ. The words are not influenced by the one who taught us that ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’ (Matthew 25:40). Sometimes it seems that the focus of many influential Christian leaders is on remaining “a friend of the President” rather than speaking the heart of God.

God reminds Jeremiah that this is his task. He is to speak words worthy of the Creator of the World. He is to know the Creator’s heart and speak what is worthy of him. As long as Jeremiah does that, then he will be God’s mouthpiece; His press secretary. But his words are worthless if they do not reflect the heart of the Creator; if this is the case, Jeremiah will be removed from his position.

Speaking the heart of God is what we are all called to do. It is not optional. What we (I) think is important really doesn’t matter. As Christians, we are the Press Secretaries of Heaven, and our opinions have become secondary to the voice of God speaking through our lives. And when we speak with his voice, we have the potential to change the world.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 16