We wake up every morning to the pull of performance. “What do I have to do today?” Our phones, our schedules, and our own hearts scream for us to get busy and prove that we deserve what we’re received. Justin Earley says, “Legalism is the belief that the world hangs on what I do and that God and people love me based on how I perform.”

However, Psalm 23 gives us a very different picture of God. In verse five, the good shepherd becomes a lavish host, who welcomes his guests to his table and serves them with grace and kindness.