Greetings church family!

The late Pastor Michael Yaconelli shared this story in his book Messy Spirituality.
Walking by a pet shop on his way to school, a young boy stopped and stared through the window. Inside were four black puppies playing together. After school he ran home and pleaded with his mother to let him have one of the puppies. “I’ll take care of it, Mom, I will. If you can just give me an advance on my allowance, I’ll have enough money to buy one with my own money. Please, Mom, please.”

The mother, knowing full well the complications having a new puppy would bring to a busy household, could not resist her son. “Okay, you can get the puppy, but I will expect you to take care of it.”
Yes, Mom, I will.” Filled with excitement, the little boy ran to the pet shop to buy his new puppy.

After determining that the boy had enough money, the pet shop owner brought him to the window to choose his puppy. After a few minutes, the young boy said, “Um … I’ll take the little one in the corner.”
Oh no,” said the shop owner, “not that one; he’s crippled. Notice how he just sits there; something is wrong with one of his legs, so he can’t run and play like the rest of the puppies. Choose another one.”
Without saying a word, the boy reached down, lifted his pant leg to expose a chrome leg brace to the owner. 
“No,” he said firmly, “I think I’ll take the puppy in the corner.” 
It turned out that what disqualified the puppy from being chosen by others is what most qualified him to be chosen by the little boy.

What labels have life placed on you that have made you feel less than? What beliefs have you subscribed to that have caused you to feel inferior to others?

The beauty of the gospel is that what might disqualify you from being chosen by others is what will most "qualify" you to be chosen by Jesus.

Beginning this Sabbath, we will begin a 10-part sermon series entitled "Follow Me."  We will study the lives of each of the 12 disciples - men who were overlooked by Israel's religious elite, but were called and transformed by Jesus to introduce His new covenant and His heavenly kingdom to the world.  

Just as these 12 ordinary men "turned the world upside down" (Acts 17:6), Jesus has called for each and every one of us, as members of the Foothills Community Church family, to impact those in our circles of life by living out the loving principles of the kingdom of heaven.  And if you are feeling under qualified because of your past or even your present, remember the words of the apostle Paul.

"Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, so that no one may boast in his presence." 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 

Church family, may you always remember, God is for you, God is with you, and God loves you!

Pastor Chris