Jesus Picked You

I’ve spent many days of my life hoping, praying and trying to get picked.

Many of us have memories of standing in line as teams were selected for softball, basketball, dodgeball and every other PE class event du jour. I learned to accept not getting picked. I was assigned by default to whatever team was stuck with the last guy.

I auditioned for the Louisiana All-State choir in hopes of being picked. I was. I hoped to be picked for the tennis team. I was. I hoped to be picked for the lead in West Side Story. I wasn’t. I hoped to be picked for class president. I wasn’t. I hoped to be picked by the first real love of my life. I was.

Pick me. Oh please, Lord, help me to get picked. Oh, how often I have prayed that prayer.

Michelangelo was picked by the pope to paint. Grant was picked by Lincoln and then his country to lead. Catherine was picked by Henry VIII. In movies, the heroine gets picked—and sometimes she doesn’t.

Leaders make picks every day. Projects are assigned to the picked.

Time and attention are given to the picked.

Leaders must make every member of their team feel picked every day.

This is even more important on the high-stress days. Make people feel picked on good days and bad.

As we walk through the halls, we should be looking for people to pick.

Make people feel like they belong. The best leaders make everyone feel their opinion and contributions matter.

The silent treatment should not be a tool to encourage better performance. Work improvement occurs with high-level training and coaching. Lots of coaching!

Leaders who don’t coach will have higher labor costs and unhealthy turnover. Uncoached teams wander. The right people start doing the wrong things or they do the right things the wrong way. Then it becomes a two-step slide to being labeled the “wrong person.”

Jesus taught us to be inclusive. Jesus made people feel picked. He even picked thieves on the cross to join Him in heaven.

Many of His actions described in the Bible show how He often picked the unpicked, the unloved. And He picked a diverse and challenged team of disciples. And He loved them as He led.

Be the kind of picky that picks everyone to love and edify.

No one on your team will ever tire of feeling picked.