Overview of Accept People For Who They Are | Joel Osteen
This episode is a sermon by Joel Osteen (aired on SiriusXM) about the spiritual and practical importance of accepting people as God made them instead of trying to change them to fit our mold. Through scripture, personal anecdotes (about his wife Victoria, their children, a plant, and other real-life examples), and simple metaphors, Osteen teaches that true maturity is accepting others, honoring them, and pouring encouragement into their lives so they can rise to their God-given potential. The message closes with an invitation to faith and promotional information for Joel Osteen ministry resources.
Key points and main takeaways
- God made people different on purpose: personalities, strengths, timelines, and callings vary by design.
- You cannot truly change someone — only God can — but you can encourage, pray for, and model Christlike behavior.
- Trying to force others into your mold creates tension, resentment, and damaged relationships.
- Mature love accepts people as they are and focuses on their strengths rather than continually criticizing weaknesses.
- You have greater influence by honoring and encouraging people (the “pour water into the bottle / cork” metaphor) than by withholding approval.
- Practical change often starts with you: “The other person may not change, but you can change.”
- Keep pouring honor, respect, and praise even when people aren’t meeting your timetable or expectations.
- Scripture referenced: Proverbs 18:22 — finding a wife is a good thing and a favor from the Lord.
- Call to action: Receive Jesus, get plugged into a Bible-based church, and use daily spiritual resources to grow faith.
Notable quotes and metaphors
- “Take people off your potter’s wheel.”
- “Don’t spend your whole life trying to make someone have dark green leaves when God designed them to have light green leaves.”
- “The other person may not change, but you can change.”
- Plant story: two identical vine plants with different leaf colors — one is healthy despite not matching Joel’s expectations.
- Cork metaphor: encourage (pour water in) and people will rise; withhold honor and they stay down.
Examples and anecdotes used to illustrate the message
- A humorous opening anecdote about a bride’s father grilling a fiancé who says “God will provide.”
- Joel’s early attempts to make his wife Victoria more like him; realization and change after 25 years of marriage.
- Differences between their children: Alexandra (structured) vs Jonathan (spontaneous/creative).
- A healthy plant with lighter leaves that Joel unsuccessfully tried to “fix” until a nursery expert explained it was just a natural variation.
- A creative niece (Caroline) who dresses and styles herself uniquely, illustrating how uniqueness is not a flaw.
- A marriage that failed after a wife stopped encouraging her husband when he didn’t meet expected career trajectory — warning about withdrawing honor.
Practical applications / Action items
- Stop trying to “fix” or remodel people; let God be the potter.
- Identify one person you’ve been trying to change; remove that expectation and look for their strengths.
- Replace criticism with specific praise daily (e.g., thank your spouse for parenting, hard work, dependability).
- Pour honor and encouragement into others consistently to help them rise.
- Focus on changing your response instead of attempting to control someone else’s behavior.
- If you want spiritual growth: pray the salvation prayer Osteen offers, join a Bible-based church, and use daily devotionals to reset focus.
Resources, calls-to-action, and additional notes
- Invitation to pray: a simple salvation prayer to receive Jesus; listeners encouraged to join a Bible-based church.
- Ministry resources promoted: 2026 365-day devotional calendar and “God’s Word for Every Season” guided journals. Request at joelostein.com or by calling 888-567-JOEL.
- Sponsors/ads included in the broadcast: Odoo, Riverton Chevy, Lowe’s, Canopy Humidifier (GetCanopy.co with discount code SERIOUS), Skills First / Tear the Paper Ceiling, and SiriusXM NFL Radio.
- Platforms: services streamed live Sundays, podcast, YouTube, Joel Osteen Network, and SiriusXM.
Who benefits most from this message
- Couples and spouses dealing with unmet expectations or chronic conflict.
- Parents struggling to impose their structure on differently-wired children.
- Leaders and friends who tend to micromanage or try to shape others.
- Anyone wanting practical spiritual guidance on improving relationships through acceptance, encouragement, and faith.
If you want to apply the sermon today: choose one person, list three strengths they have, and intentionally speak one of those strengths aloud to them before the week ends.