CHOSEN
All eyes were on me as I stood alone on the gym floor. It was cheerleading tryouts in 1978, the one chance to become everything I hoped to be. A judge cleared her throat, politely signaling me to begin.
Sweat started to pour, revealing the truth that lay hidden deep inside. I didn’t belong here. I wasn’t good enough. Now everyone would know.
I faced two choices - run out the exit door with a lifetime of regret or force my awkward limbs to do the impossible-fly through the air into a front handspring, something I had never pulled off.
With arms high in foolish surrender, I ran, pushed, leaped, and found myself airborne and upside down. In one glorious moment, I imagined a perfect landing. But instead, I smacked my rear end on the varnish with a thud.
I can still feel the sting.
But there was one thing that remained that I hadn’t considered - the judge's mercy. For reasons never understood, someone who should have disqualified me believed in me instead.
So when basketball season rolled around, I stood tall on the sidelines of that same hard floor where I had once fallen flat, wearing a uniform I didn’t deserve.
Someone with more pride may have refused the honor, folded it neatly, and returned it. But my name was written on the back, assuring me there was no mistake. The judge had chosen me for the job.
So I pulled grace over my head and started doing what I had been called to do even though voices whispered, “Disqualified!”
Because anyone who puts on that undeserved uniform will tell you the same thing. The glorious place of grace in which we are all called to stand is worth making a spectacle of yourself.
Accept Jesus' mercy, grin big and keep jumping even if it's just a few inches off the ground, even if you topple from the pyramid.
Because the same Judge Who chose you to bring Him glory is also your Loving Father Who knows you’re prone to fall on your keister.
Stand tall and cheer on! God is for you!
“We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand - out in the wide-open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.” Romans 5:2 (MSG)