“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”
— Ephesians 4:29
There’s a phrase we pass around with a smile and a sigh: “It’s a Monday.” We say it half-jokingly, as though the mere fact of the day explains away sluggish starts, short tempers, and low expectations. But what if that phrase—harmless as it seems—shapes more than just the morning? What if it’s quietly influencing how we show up not just for our work, but for the people we’re meant to serve?
Mondays are often viewed as something to get through, the first step on a weekly treadmill of obligations. But I believe there’s far more potential in the day than we give it credit for. Each Monday is a new beginning—a clean page. And beginnings, when viewed rightly, are not burdens but blessings.
Ephesians 4:29 reminds us that our words hold power—not just in what they avoid, but in what they offer. Speech is not merely a tool for expression but a means of construction. Words can build up, strengthen resolve, restore joy, and even anchor someone who is barely hanging on. They are small bricks laid toward the good, the true, and the hopeful.
What if we began the week with that mindset?
Most of us already practice a kind of everyday generosity. We tithe, we tip, we help when asked. But I want to propose something both simple and profound: the idea of giving an extra ten percent—not in dollars, but in presence, encouragement, and effort—especially on Mondays.
Not ten percent more output at your desk. Not ten percent more hours. But ten percent more attention to others. A few more words of gratitude. A little more patience when tensions rise. A moment of sincere interest in someone else’s well-being. These acts may seem small, but they ripple outward in ways we cannot always see.
And here’s the key: this kind of giving doesn’t require that everything be perfect in your own life. In fact, it often means the most when it comes from someone who’s still working, still pushing, still persevering. Encouragement offered from the trenches carries a unique weight. It reminds others that the road may be hard, but we’re walking it together—and that’s no small thing.
Hard work and perseverance are not just professional virtues. They are spiritual ones. They speak to a deeper truth: that showing up, day after day, with character and consistency, matters. And when we pair our diligence with grace, we become more than productive—we become powerful forces for good.
You don’t need a title or a platform to make a difference. Sometimes all it takes is one kind word offered at the right moment. A reminder that someone is seen. A suggestion that their efforts are not in vain. These are not grand gestures, but they are lasting ones.
And let us not underestimate Mondays. They carry momentum. They signal to others—and to ourselves—how we intend to approach the days ahead. If we treat them as opportunities rather than obstacles, they can become launchpads for something far greater than just checking off to-do lists.
The extra ten percent is not about pretending everything is fine. It’s about choosing to believe that something good is still possible, even if it requires effort, discipline, and faith to see it through. It is the quiet decision to live generously, not just when it’s convenient, but especially when it’s costly.
Hope is not wishful thinking. It is rooted in effort and expectation. It flourishes where hard work and grace meet. And when we invest that hope into others—through our words, our actions, our presence—we may be planting seeds that grow long after we’ve left the room.
So this Monday, I invite you to give just a little more—not to the grind, but to the people beside you. One word. One moment. One gesture that says, “You matter. We’re in this together. Keep going.”
You were not made merely to make it through the week.
You were made to build something lasting within it—
And to help others rise as you do.