The Watchword for 2026
Every year the Hands at Work leadership selects a verse from the Bible – the ‘Watchword’. The choice is not meant to be a neutral ‘memory verse’ to mark a calendar year – rather it is meant to be a verse to challenge and guide us as individuals and as we consider our work with Hands at Work.
This year the verse is Matthew 6:33: ‘But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.’
Depending on your age and schooling, the mere reading of the verse might start the 1980s classic music going in your head – maybe it even takes you back to singing it as a round: “aaaa-lle-lu-alle-luuuu-jaaaah”!
It’s easy to let a verse like this pass without thought – be good and God will bless you is hardly challenging. When Levy, Hands at Work Leader, spoke into the Watchword he reminded us that when you are living hand-to-mouth, without food or physical security, this promise is not the sort of promise that passes you easily. In that respect, the vulnerable communities that Hands at Work supports today are much more like those Jesus was speaking these words to, rather than the comfortable, secure Western society that most of us find ourselves in when we read it now.
There is a challenge for us in there though. As Christians, we may think we’ve done our seeking – we know and have claimed the good news promise. The real challenge for us in our busy lives is the third word of that verse – ‘first’. Prioritising the task we’ve been set to bring God’s Kingdom here on earth, and to do so above the busyness of work, career, family life and church rotas, not to mention the latest Netflix series or the latest podcast, is a challenge we should wrestle with.
What we choose to put first in life makes a massive difference to where we end up and how we use our time. A wrong turning right at the start of a road trip won’t stop you getting to your destination but it will make a difference to the miles you travel, the time it takes and your mood on arrival! Casually allowing things to take priority is not what this verse asks us to do. Seeking first means thinking about order, priority and orientation – deliberately operating in a Kingdom-first mode.
If we truly put God’s character and concerns first, it ought to be challenging. It ought to make a difference to the decisions we make and how we live our lives, to make a difference to how we see and advocate for the poorest of the poor.
While we may not live with the fear associated with daily survival, we do live with distraction, comfort and self-concern. In a world that tells us to seek comfort, Jesus invites us to seek His way first – let’s do that!
Feel free to accept that challenge in whichever way is meaningful for you. At our monthly Men’s prayer, I picked these three as a starting point:
Let the needs of the poor interrupt us. It’s hard for those with the least powerful voices to be heard in the noise of media and global politics. When you see a news item, or an email lands that tells a story of injustice or need, let it distract you. Give it a disproportionate importance and allow yourself to be moved – other things can wait.
Let our giving be intentional, not our leftovers. When we give, let’s think of it as giving the first of our money – as a priority for our lives, not as an activity we do when we have money to spare. Perhaps we could save money in order to give with the same intentionality as we might save up for a holiday or that piece of hobby equipment we desire.
Let our advocacy be relational, not academic. Invest the time to know Hands at Work's communities well. Wherever possible, advocate for their needs by name, rather than just their community or country.
I pray that we can all have the wisdom and boldness to seek God’s Kingdom as a first in our lives, and I expectantly wait to see the blessings that will flow from that.
Oliver Westmancott, Chair of the Hands at Work UK Board