DAILY DEVOTIONS

'Humble Beginnings '

Is he not the carpenter's son?

- Matthew 13:55

RECENTLY THERE WAS a story about the disproportionate number of players in the major leagues who were born in the Dominican Republic. Apparently young Dominican boys eat, sleep and dream of becoming baseball stars. Dusty tracks of land are converted to makeshift baseball diamonds. Baseball gloves are fashioned from discarded milk cartons. Pitchers throw rocks to strengthen their arms. It says a lot about people rising from a humble background.

In this line of Scripture, you can hear the snideness, the dismissive tone: "A carpenter's son indeed." It is precisely this kind of language and attitude that will (and has) kept people in their place, limiting their natural ability and hard work. Jesus did not listen to criticisms such as these, and neither should we. Judging anyone is always a risky proposition. But if we do it simply by the way they dress, their ethnicity or their nation of origin, we are making a mistake. Humble beginnings can be a great character builder.

- Paul Pennick