As Apostle Paul comes to the end of his letter to the Romans, we see something pretty interesting. He starts giving out a ton of shoutouts. Do you know what a shoutout is? Today, it would be like me saying, “Hey, I wanna give a shoutout to my man Tom Butler and my dude Randy Walker. Thanks for being a blessing!” It’s a way of showing appreciation for somebody in a public forum.

And here, Paul gives a ton of shoutouts. Shoutout to Prisca and Aquila. Shoutout to Epaenatus. Shout to Mary. Shoutout to Andronicus and Junia. And the list goes on from there. In all, Paul gives shoutouts to nearly 30 people.

Beloved, friends are important. Every single one of us must work to develop friendships. It’s not only good for our souls, good for us as individuals, but also good for the kingdom. You see, every one of those people that Paul gave a shoutout to were ministry partners who were helping him advance the kingdom. Some of them did big things. Some of them did small things. And the others were all between. But, together, they worked with Paul to bless one another and to make a difference.

Who are those in your life that you deserve a shoutout? Who is a blessing to you? Who do you appreciate? Don’t hesitate to let folks know it.

And on the other side, are you living a shoutout worthy of life? Are you looking to bless others and to be a friend? That’s the kind of life that will make a difference.

Change begins in you!