MAKERS MINUTES

Pick Me! Pick Me!

Ever been the last one picked?  Fifth grade gym class was a rough one for me.  The day I remember most, two captains had to pick teams for a fiery game of kickball.  One by one fellow classmates were picked until all that was left was me, and my crushed sense of belonging, as clearly no one wanted the ‘not-so-athletic’ girl on their team.  That day was probably the first day I had really experienced a sense of rejection or humiliation.  I remember feeling pretty lousy that I was not good or liked enough to be chosen, or wanted as a helper on anyone’s team.  Being the last one picked, was just the first of many rejections to follow.  The sting of rejection only seems to intensify the older you get…

Christ also knew rejection throughout His ministry on Earth, and in ways some of us will never experience.  His own brothers rejected Him.  John 7: 1-5 tells us, “After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him… His brothers therefore said to Him, ‘Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing.   For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.’   For even His brothers did not believe in Him.” Ouch!  Not only were the Jews seeking to kill Him, (rejection from the ones He dearly loved,) but His own brothers doubted Him as well (rejection from family).  Jesus felt the emotions rejection would stir.  He allowed Himself to so we could know that He would understand and relate to the depth of our hearts that are most hurt by this ugly act of man.  Thankfully, He had a plan.  He did not leave us without a way to face rejection, He said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He may give it to you.  This I command to you, to love one another.  If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you.   If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world... John 15:16-19

It may have hurt my feelings to be the last one picked that day.  However, as a believer in Christ, there is no rejection on Earth that cannot be overpowered by the LOVE and ACCEPTANCE we have in Him who never left us waiting to hear our name called...  Before creation He spoke, ‘Jason, Josie, Nick, Moses, Abraham, Esther, Charles, etc… At the cross He thought, ‘Jason, Josie, Nick, Peter, Mark, Luke, Tonya, etc… For God so loved the WHOLE world and Each Of Us In IT, that He gave His only Son that WHOSOEVER believes in Him and what He did for all of us, shall NEVER parish, or be rejected, but have EVER LASTING LIFE… in other words, LOVE and ACCEPTANCE IN ABUNDANCE FOR EVER AND EVER AND EVER!

From the beginning of time He saw our raised hand

Not leaving anyone out, He picked us before our lives began

So out of love, and by His grace we respond to His call

The sting of rejection defeated, We are His, once and for all~ JJValley.

He already called your name, He is just waiting for you to put your hand down and accept His call.

He picked you, did you accept and join His team?