Making The Cut

“Making The Cut”

By Zach Wood

Ephesians 2:10 NLT

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

We have all been through painful experiences in our past where we didn’t “make the cut”.  I remember in grade school, at recess, when we’d pick teams and the cool people were always picked first and the least favorite were always picked last.  Even though those who were picked last still made the team, it didn’t feel as if they were “wanted”.  It’s not a good feeling.

Think about when a player tries out for sports team.  He or she plays so hard and gives their best to try to “make the cut”.  However, there comes a time when the results come in and you know someone or some people won’t make the team. 

How about if you’ve applied for a certain college and you really want to get in?  They won’t let just anyone have admission.  You must fill out a form and give references and put a lot of hard work into proving to the college why you deserve to attend.  Some people will be receiving an admission letter inviting them to become part of the student body.  Others, they will receive the rejection letter no one wants to receive. 

None of us likes to be given a rejection letter or told we didn’t “make the cut”.  It’s a terrible feeling.  It’s not always necessarily meaning that we weren’t good enough, but then other times, that’s exactly what it means.  It leave us with a horrible, sick feeling at times knowing we weren’t good enough to make the list of people who apparently had what they were looking for.  We end up not feeling good enough. 

Whatever your situation was, every person experiences some kind of experience where you don’t “make the cut”.  It can be heartbreaking.  You wish they’d just accept you for who you are and not what they want you to be.  As I was thinking about this the other day, and all the experiences in my life where I didn’t “make the cut”, I thought about how God doesn’t work like that at all.  God loves each and every one of us and in us, He has created a beautiful masterpiece.  He doesn’t sit with a checklist when we give our lives to Him and say, “Nope, sorry!  You weren’t good enough!  Maybe next time!” 

God accepts us for who we are and is never exclusive.  We are a beautiful masterpiece and we don’t have to change ourselves or try to be someone better for Him to accept us.  With God we always “make the cut”!  Isn’t that a great feeling?  He accepts us regardless of what we are and what we are not.  He then takes us and continues love on us and mold us more into who He wants us to be. 

Aren’t you grateful to have “made the cut”?