Two weeks ago, Melanie and I were traveling to Harrisonburg for Isabella’s graduation from James Madison University. As we made our way up Interstate 81, something caught my attention—a tractor-trailer from Old Dominion Freight Line with a tagline printed clearly on the side: Helping the World Keep Promises.

I remember thinking, That’s interesting.

Most logistics companies define themselves by what they do—moving freight from point A to point B. But this was different. Something bigger.

And perhaps I noticed this because of what I’ve been reading recently.

In his well-known book Start With Why, Simon Sinek argues that people are not primarily drawn to what we do, but to why we do it. The “what” is visible—our roles, our responsibilities, our output. But the “why” is deeper. It speaks to purpose, belief, and meaning.

Sinek even points to how we are wired. He suggests that when we communicate from the outside in—what to how to why—we appeal mostly to logic. But when we begin with why, we speak to something deeper—the part of us that forms trust, conviction, and connection. In other words, people are moved not just by information, but by purpose.

That day on I-81, it struck me that Old Dominion understands this concept. They don’t just ship freight. They help people keep promises. At the end of the day, that’s exactly what’s at stake every time something is shipped—trust, reliability, follow-through.

Whether it’s business, church, or family, this insight connects directly to something we’ve been emphasizing at HRBC—both in our graduate recognition service and in our current message series, Anchored.

So often, we define our lives by what we do. But Scripture gently redirects us to something deeper: Before we ever ask what, God speaks to who.

Ephesians 2:10 reminds us: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

That verse begins not with activity, but with identity. We are God’s workmanship—formed with intention, shaped by grace, and created with purpose. The good works come later. They flow out of who we are, not the other way around.

As followers of Christ, we don’t have to invent our purpose. We receive it as a gift of God’s grace. Our “why” is anchored in who God says we are:

Beloved.

Created.

Called.

Sent.

And from that identity flows everything else—how we live, how we serve, and even what we do.

This is true not only for us as individuals, but also for us as a church.

It is easy—even in ministry—to define ourselves by activity. Programs, schedules, responsibilities, events. Those things matter. But they are not our foundation.

Our calling is deeper.

We exist because of why God has placed us here—to love Him, to serve others, and to be His witnesses.

When we lose sight of that, life can begin to feel like we’re making widgets and shipping them from point A to point B—just getting through the day, completing tasks, managing responsibilities.

But when we are rooted in our why, even ordinary moments take on deeper meaning. We realize we are part of something larger than ourselves—something God is building.

So as we move through this week, I want to encourage us to pause and reflect:

Not just, What do I need to do today?

But, Who has God created me to be?

And, Who is He calling me to serve?

Because when your life is anchored in that truth, everything else begins to find its place.