Be Happy… With Who I Am!

Last week, I attended a friend's granddaughter's first soccer game.

She's 5 years old. As she ran out onto the field in her shiny new blue and orange soccer uniform, my friend jumped to his feet, clapping and yelling, "There she is… No.5!" "Go Adrianna! he shouted, "Kick the ball!" Adrianna stopped, looked up at Grandpa, and smiled and waved.

As the game got underway, it was immediately clear that little Adrianna did not have a clue how the game was played. She was running around talking with the other players and when the ball did come in her direction… she'd turn and run in the opposite direction. It was more of a social affair for her than a competitive contest. At one point, because the goalie on her team was her best friend, Adrianna was hanging out talking and laughing with her… during the game… when suddenly the ball was kicked in her direction. And when it hit Adrianna's ankle… it surprised her… and her leg did a strong knee-jerk reaction and she kicked the ball… right into her own net!

As the game ended, I was struggling to find something positive to say about Adrianna's performance… when my friend elbowed me… smiled… and said, "Wow! Did you see that one strong kick? Boom! She nailed that ball!" (Smile) Only a loving grandfather could see his granddaughter's one good kick… rather than the fact that she scored the winning goal – for the other team!

Here's the good news – that's exactly the way our Heavenly father looks at you and me! He's not dwelling on the times we kicked the ball into the wrong net. He's not focused on our faults. He's celebrating the one good kick!

God sees the best in you… and so should you!

Maybe you lost your temper last night. Maybe you said some things you wished you would not have said. Listen…. Seek Forgiveness from Jesus and from anyone you hurt… but don't go around beating yourself up and living in condemnation. Here's the deal: We all have areas of our life that we need to improve. But… we cannot become so focused on our faults that we cease to enjoy who God made us to be. You've got to be happy with who God made you to be!

How? By understanding that your value in God's eyes never changes.

The Religious experts in Jesus' Day wanted people to think that the moment we do something wrong, or get off course, God gets out His big marker and crosses our name off His list and says, "There! I knew they couldn't do it! I knew they didn't have what it takes!" No! God is a forgiving God! From the cross, Jesus offered us forgiveness when He took all of our sins upon Himself and paid for them as if they were His own! Blessed be His name! What did St. John say...

But if we confess our sins to Him [Jesus], He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

- 1 John 1:9

He is a God of Second Chances! No matter how many times you fail Him or how many mistakes you make, your value in God's eyes remains exactly the same… Priceless!

As a Go First leader in God's Church, I don't know that there is a more important truth for you to model than this! So many people in your world believe that the damage they have experienced… the mistakes they've done… the wrong choices they've made… has diminished their value as a human being created in the image of God! You need to tell them, "Hey… a crumpled, soiled, tattered, stained $100 bill is still worth – what? – $100 dollars! And so are you!" Our value has been placed in us by the Creator of Heaven and Earth and no body and no thing can take that away from us!

So…. The next time you're sitting next to someone who’s focusing on all the mistakes… all the faults… all the flaws in a child of God… elbow them… Smile… Go First and say,

"But did you see that one good move? ‘Cuz Jesus did!"

AMEN

Pastor Harry