Joel Osteen Podcast
Episode: Be Good To People | Victoria Osteen
Date: August 23, 2025
Host: Joel Osteen, featuring Victoria Osteen
Episode Overview
In this affirming episode, Joel and Victoria Osteen emphasize the vital importance of kindness and respect in daily life, rooted in faith and love. Drawing from personal stories, scripture, and practical advice, Victoria Osteen guides listeners through the powerful effects of expressing faith by doing good to others—especially those who are difficult to love. The core message is clear: genuine love and kindness, not just words or beliefs, have the power to transform relationships, communities, and the believer themselves.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. People Matter to God (02:14–04:10)
- Joel opens with the reminder that "people matter most to God," urging listeners to prioritize respecting and loving others, even in disagreement.
- He stresses how easy it is in today’s world to fixate on differences, but unity and respect honor God and promote the gospel.
"It's so easy these days to find things that we disagree on... but the point is to continue to show respect for people. When we show respect, you know what we're doing? We are honoring God and we're promoting the gospel."
—Joel Osteen [02:20]
2. Actions Speak Louder Than Words (04:11–05:22)
- The hosts underscore that faith is best shown through loving actions, not just religious observance or words.
- The way believers act, particularly towards those outside their faith community, is what gets noticed and sparks belief.
"As a believer, the truth is people don't really care what you say... It's not what you say, but it's what you do in faith that's the difference."
—Joel Osteen [04:21]
3. Unity in the Church and Beyond (05:23–06:38)
- Victoria notes the tendency for pettiness in religious communities, for example—arguing over Bible translations.
- Unity, despite minor differences, has a profound impact on nonbelievers and serves as a testament to the faith.
"I've seen believers literally argue over the different translations of the Bible. See, we're better than that. We've got to stay together... It's not what you know, it's what you do."
—Victoria Osteen [05:45]
4. Faith Expressed Through Love (06:39–08:40)
- Quoting Galatians 5:16, the message is clear: what counts is "faith expressing itself through love."
- It's easy to love those who love us, but the calling is to love even those who are difficult, which sometimes means "loving in faith."
"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."
—Victoria Osteen [06:56]
- Jesus’ ministry is highlighted as an example; he was "anointed to do good," bringing healing through his loving actions.
- The listener is encouraged to see their own "anointing to do good" as a way to bring God into situations of discord.
5. Loving Difficult People and Transforming Ourselves (08:41–12:22)
- Victoria tells a childhood story illustrating how humility can diffuse conflict and promote healing.
- Responding to hostility with humility or kindness can change the atmosphere, even if the other person doesn’t change.
- The focus shifts from changing others to letting love change ourselves.
"You may have some relationships in your life that will never change... But I can tell you this. You'll change. And that's what matters the most to God."
—Victoria Osteen [11:34]
- The podcast ties biblical encouragement ("pray for your enemies") to practical actions, reinforcing that true faith acts even when feeling resistant.
"Faith acts before it feels. You see, our flesh wants to feel it... But the spirit, faith, the things of God say, I am going to love in faith."
—Victoria Osteen [09:08]
6. Personal and Spiritual Benefits of Kindness (12:23–13:34)
- Kindness is not just for others—it nourishes our "own soul" and brings healing to ourselves as well.
- Proverbs 11:17 is quoted: “Those who are kind benefit themselves…your own soul is nourished when you’re kind.”
"When you're good to people, you're nourishing your own soul. You're bringing healing to them."
—Victoria Osteen [12:56]
- Victoria urges listeners to seek opportunities to do good, especially within their immediate circles—family, colleagues, neighbors.
7. Practical Call to Action (13:35–13:54)
- The episode closes the message with a charge: don’t withhold good when it’s in your ability to act.
- Love and faith should be used to "treat people right whether you agree with them or not." This, Victoria says, is where healing and true change begin.
"You're anointed to do good. You have the power to treat people right whether you agree with them or not."
—Victoria Osteen [13:50]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
"If you love God today, if you want to live for him, then you need to step back in this world full of conflict and say, I'm going to begin to express my faith in God by loving people, especially those difficult, unlovable people."
—Victoria Osteen [13:03] -
"You can't argue with somebody who won't argue back... you're breaking down walls and barriers that would like to keep you limited."
—Victoria Osteen [12:31] -
"God is not going to ask us how many people we changed. He's going to ask us, did we change? Did we walk in love?"
—Victoria Osteen [11:44]
Important Timestamps
- 02:14 – Joel introduces the day’s focus: being good to people
- 04:21 – Actions matter more than words for demonstrating faith
- 05:45 – Petty disagreements and importance of unity in the church
- 06:56 – Galatians 5:16; true faith is expressed through love
- 08:57 – Victoria’s childhood story about humility defusing conflict
- 11:34 – If relationships don’t change, you will
- 12:56 – Personal benefits of kindness (Proverbs 11:17)
- 13:50 – The power to do good is always within your reach
Tone and Style
The conversation is warm, hopeful, and practical. Victoria’s tone is nurturing and encouraging, often blending Scripture with everyday examples. The episode exudes optimism about the transformative effect of resilient kindness and love, reminding believers that being "good to people" is both a spiritual duty and a path to personal fulfillment.
For listeners seeking inspiration to handle difficult relationships or simply add more kindness into their lives, this episode offers accessible, grounded guidance with a strong faith-based foundation.