Hey, Carpool Crew, it's Pastor Justin, and I'm so glad you're joining me for this bonus episode of Carpooling with Jesus. Today's episode is part of our series, What Should I Do If, where we talk about real situations that you might face at school, at camp, with your friends, maybe even in your own house. Today, we're talking about one that just about every kid goes through at some point, and it stings every single time. What should I do if we don't get picked? Maybe it went like this. Two kids are captains, and they're picking teams for a game. One name, one name, then another, and you're standing there in the grass trying to look like you don't care, while the group of kids who haven't been picked gets smaller and smaller. And somehow, you're one of the last ones standing. Nobody says your name like it's exciting. You just kinda get picked at, "Okay, you're with us." Or maybe it wasn't a team at all. Maybe you tried out for a part in the play, and the list went up, and your name wasn't on it. Maybe you ran for something, and the votes came in, and it wasn't you. Or maybe all of your friends went to a movie together and your parents' phone never buzzed. I know what that feels like, and there's this hot feeling that climbs up the back of your neck. Your face gets warm. You act like it's no big deal, but inside it feels like a really big deal. If you've ever felt like that, I wanna say something clearly right up front. That hurt is real. You're not being dramatic or a baby. Wanting to be picked, wanting to be wanted, is one of the most human things there is. God made you to belong, so when you get left out, it pokes at something deep because you were made for connection. So we're not gonna pretend it doesn't sting. We're gonna figure out what to do with the sting. Most kids, when they don't get picked, do one of two things. Some get angry about it. "I don't even wanna be on that dumb team anyway." They slam the door on their feelings so nobody sees it. Other kids turn it inward and decide something must be wrong with them. "I didn't get picked because I'm not good enough." Both of those are the wrong road to go down. One pretends the feelings aren't there. The other believes a lie about who you are. So let's hear what God has to say, because it's better than both. Psalm 34:18 says, "The Lord is near the brokenhearted. He saves those crushed in spirit." Not the Lord is near the winners. Not the Lord is near the kids who got picked first. The Lord is near the brokenhearted. When your spirit feels crushed, when you feel passed over and small, that's not the moment God is far away. That's the exact moment He moves closer to you. When you didn't get picked, you did not get dropped by God. You got pulled closer. And here's something amazing. The most important guy in the whole Old Testament got skipped over, too. His name was David. God sent the prophet Samuel to a family to pick the next king of Israel. We actually did a whole Carpooling with Heroes of the Bible episode on this exact moment. The dad, Jesse, lined up all his sons, big and strong, oldest to youngest. And one by one, God said, "No, not him. Not him." Finally, Samuel asked, "Is this all of them?" And Jesse said, "Well, there's the youngest, but he's out in the field with the sheep." They didn't even bring David in. And when David finally showed up, God said to Samuel, "That's the one." Listen to what God told Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7. "Humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart." The people doing the picking can only see the outside. God sees all the way in. And sometimes the kid the world leaves out in the field is the one God is about to use the most. If Jesus were with us in the grass, watching everybody else get picked, I think he'd lean over and say, "I see you. I've always seen you, and I already choose you. You didn't have to try out for me or be the fastest or the funniest. I picked you because you're mine." Because that's exactly what he said in John 15:16. Jesus told his friends, "You didn't choose me, but I chose you." You are already picked by the only one whose pick lasts forever. So what should you do the next time you don't get picked? First, feel it. Don't fake it. Don't slam the door and act like you don't care. You did care, and that's okay. In the moment, you can say something simple to God. "God, this really hurts. I wanted it, and it didn't happen." That's not complaining. That's trusting God with the real you. And when you get home, tell your parents what happened and how it made you feel. They want to listen. Second, remember that you are already picked. The list at school is for one game, one part, one play. Jesus' pick is for your whole life. So say it to yourself, "I'm already chosen by Jesus, and that doesn't change anything." And the next time comes around, try again. There's a lot of times I haven't made the list and went on to work hard and eventually made it, and you will too. Third, cheer for the ones who did get picked, and keep showing up. Be glad for the people who did make it, and do it out loud. "Nice job. That's awesome." It might feel backward, but it kills the bitterness before it can grow roots. Don't quit. Try out again. Raise your hand again. The kid who keeps showing up with a good heart is the kid God loves to surprise with blessing. And parents, when your kid comes home and tells you they didn't get picked, the instinct is to fix it fast. Resist that for a second. Before you fix it, feel it with them. Say, "Yeah, that really hurts, doesn't it? I'm sorry." You could even share a story of a time when you were a kid and the same thing happened to you. Here's a quick recap. The next time you don't get picked: first, feel it, don't fake it. Second, remember who already picked you, Jesus. And third, cheer on the ones who did get picked, and keep showing up for them. Here's the one thing I want you to remember. Not getting picked stings, but it never means you're not wanted. God is closest to you right when it hurts. No matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you, and He loves you a lot. You're not alone. You are deeply loved by God.
