Hey, Carpool Crew! Happy Saturday! It’s day twenty-six of Proverbs for Your School Life. Today we’re talking about the kid at the edge of things. The kid sitting on the curb while everybody else rides by. Nobody’s being mean to them. Nobody’s really doing anything to them. They’re just... not noticing them. I’m Pastor Justin, and first, a big shout-out to Paisley in Brooksville, Florida! Paisley, you and your puppy Finn, glad you’re both part of the Carpool Crew. Here’s the one thing I want you to remember: **Notice the kid nobody notices.** Proverbs 14:21 says, “The one who despises his neighbor sins, but whoever shows kindness to the poor will be happy.” Sometimes being unkind is loud. But sometimes it’s really quiet. Sometimes it’s simply looking right past somebody who wishes they were included. **Being left out doesn’t leave a bruise you can see. But it can still hurt.** Jesus was really good at noticing people other people ignored. One day, He was walking through a huge crowd when He stopped and looked up into a tree. There was Zacchaeus. A man the people in town didn’t even like. But Jesus saw him. He stopped. And He called Zacchaeus by name. Jesus noticed the person everybody else wanted to look past. We can do that too. Imagine it’s Saturday afternoon. You and your friends are riding bikes around the neighborhood. Every lap, you pass the same kid sitting on the curb watching. Nobody’s picking on him. But nobody’s inviting him either. So this time, you stop. You check with your mom or dad first, then ride over and say: **“Hey, we’ve got room. Come ride with us.”** That’s it. Maybe he jumps up immediately. Maybe he’s quiet. Maybe he even says no. That’s okay. You noticed him. And sometimes one invitation is all it takes to tell somebody: **I see you. There’s room for you here.** So here’s your one thing for this weekend: **Look for the kid at the edge and pull them in.** The kid on the curb. The kid sitting alone. The kid standing off to the side. See them. Stop. Invite them. And if you need the words: **“We’ve got room. Come with us.”** Let’s go back to the one thing I want you to remember: **Notice the kid nobody notices.** Remember, no matter where you are or how you’re listening, God loves you. And parents, want your kids hearing more truth throughout the week? Carpooling with Jesus+ gives you bonus episodes every week, including weekends. You can subscribe right from the app you’re already using. *(APPLE VERSION ONLY: And if you listen on Apple Podcasts, the yearly option is $34.99. That’s about three months free compared to paying monthly.)* Before you go, answer this together: **Who’s one kid you could make sure feels included this week?** I’ll see you tomorrow on Carpooling with Jesus.
