Joel Osteen Podcast: "Pushing People Up" (January 9, 2026)

Host: Joel Osteen
Theme: How investing in and encouraging others paves the way for your own growth and blessings.

Episode Overview

In this uplifting episode, Joel Osteen explores the concept of "pushing people up," emphasizing the importance of helping others succeed as a pathway to unlocking your own potential and promotion. Through engaging stories, scriptural insights, and personal anecdotes, Joel teaches that sowing kindness, encouragement, and opportunity into the lives of those around you has a boomerang effect—causing blessings and advancement to come back to you, often multiplied. With his signature humor and warmth, Joel urges listeners to live outward-focused lives by investing in family, friends, colleagues, and even strangers.

Key Discussion Points

The Principle of Pushing People Up

• Destiny Connections:
  • God brings people into our lives—not always to help us, but sometimes for us to help them. Our advancement is often linked to how we treat and support others.
  • Quote: "There are people that God brings into our lives that hold the key to our promotion... we won't go higher until we help them go higher." (03:01)
• The Boomerang of Kindness:
  • Referencing Ecclesiastes 11:1, Joel explains that generosity, encouragement, and using influence to open doors for others always results in returned blessings.
  • Quote: "When you sow those seeds of kindness, it's just like a boomerang. It's going to come right back to you." (04:44)
• Active Investment:
  • Each listener should intentionally find someone to mentor, encourage, or invest in. These acts are likened to seeds that unlock the next phase of their own journey.
  • Practical Examples: helping a coworker, mentoring a student, introducing someone to important contacts.

Stories Illustrating the Principle

• Personal Testimonies:
  • Joel acknowledges the many family members, teachers, and mentors who supported him throughout his life, emphasizing that nobody succeeds alone.
  • Quote: "None of us got to where we are by ourselves. Somebody pushed us up. Somebody made sacrifices so that we could go further." (08:45)
• Judge Andrew Valdez:
  • Moving story of Andy Valdez, mentored as a child by Jack Keller, who later becomes a judge and establishes youth mentoring programs—continuing the chain of pushing others up.
  • Andy later finds Jack homeless and takes care of him, returning the kindness.
  • Quote: "You never lose when you push people up... When you take time to invest in others, it starts a chain reaction." (16:40-18:10)
• Scriptural Example – Elisha and Elijah:
  • Elisha served Elijah faithfully, helping him and doing menial tasks until he received a double portion of Elijah’s blessing.
  • Quote: "Elisha understood this principle. He knew his destiny was linked to Elijah. And the higher Elijah went, the higher he was going to go." (21:20)
• The Shunammite Woman:
  • A woman invests in Elisha by building him a room, and is later miraculously blessed with a child after years of barrenness.
  • Summary: Acts of kindness, even with no expectation of return, spark divine favor and breakthrough.

Everyday Ways to Push People Up

• Start Small; Start at Home:
  • Invest in family first. Simple acts—encouraging words, practical help, small sacrifices—make significant differences.
  • Quote: "Start with your own family. Make sure you're pushing up those who are closest to you. Don't take them for granted." (25:32)
• Stories of Parental Sacrifice:
  • Patrick Henry, a disabled musician, whose father literally pushed his wheelchair in the marching band, exemplifies going above and beyond for others.
  • Quote: "You're talking about pushing people up. When you watch them on the field, you would've thought the father was the child." (26:37)
• Recognizing Overlooked Opportunities:
  • It doesn’t always mean helping someone below you—sometimes it means supporting a boss or someone above you.
  • Quote: "The higher you help your supervisor go, the higher you're going to go. The better you make that person look, eventually it's going to boomerang right back to you." (20:27)

The Ripple Effect of Kindness

• Lasting Impact:
  • Small, seemingly insignificant gestures—running bases for a disabled peer, teaching a child a skill—can catalyze extraordinary outcomes.
  • Example: Dr. Michael DeBakey, a world-renowned heart surgeon, first learned to sew from his mother.
• Compound Effect:
  • Every time you push someone up, you create a domino effect of goodness, favor, and opportunity—not only for them but for yourself and generations to come.
  • Quote: "When you take time to care, to make someone else's life better... it'll keep giving and giving." (19:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Opening Affirmation:
  • "Hold up your Bible. Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have. I can do what it says I can do..." (02:13)
• On Blessings Boomeranging Back:
  • "What you make happen for others, God will make happen for you." (05:50)
• Encouragement about Family:
  • "I wouldn't be half of who I am today if it was not for Victoria. She's always pushing me up." (26:09)
• Life Wisdom:
  • "If you want happiness for a day—go fishing. If you want happiness for a month—get married ... If you want happiness for a lifetime—help others." (27:29)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment / Story | |------------|------------------------------------------------------| | 01:41 | Introduction & Humor: Teen's permit and long hair | | 03:01 | Main Theme: Pushing People Up | | 04:44 | The Boomerang Principle, Ecclesiastes 11:1 | | 08:45 | Personal Examples: Family support | | 13:38 | Judge Andrew Valdez Story | | 21:20 | Elisha and Elijah – Serving Upwards | | 24:21 | The Shunammite Woman and Elisha's Blessing | | 25:32 | Encouragement: Start with Family | | 26:09 | Tribute: Victoria's Influence | | 26:37 | Patrick Henry: Father-Son Marching Band Story | | 27:29 | Happiness for a Lifetime—Help Others (proverb) |

Takeaways and Calls to Action

• Challenge to Listeners:
  • Look for opportunities to invest in, encourage, and support others—especially in your circle of influence.
  • Recognize that every act of kindness is a seed for your own advancement and joy.
  • Even small acts can have a ripple effect through generations.
• Core Message:
  • "When you push people up, you might as well get ready. The blessings are going to come down." (28:02)

Tone and Language

Joel speaks with warmth, clarity, humor, and inspiring energy. His stories are vivid and personal, and he addresses listeners directly, encouraging them to reflect on their own lives and relationships.

Final Reflection

This episode is a call to selflessness, mentorship, and generosity. Whether you're helping a family member, a coworker, or a stranger, Joel Osteen reminds us that our destinies are intertwined—and as we invest in others’ lives, we unlock blessings and favor far beyond what we could achieve alone.