My family recently saw the movie Kung Fu Panda. The story is about a group of Kung Fu experts, known as the furious five, and their trainer. When they find out that their evil arch enemy is preparing to attack they must find the legendary “Dragon Master” who, according to prophecy, is the only one who can defeat this powerful enemy.
When the wise temple leader determines that the “chosen one” is an overweight, out of shape Panda bear named Po you can imagine the skepticism and frustration of the furious five, who felt certain that the Dragon Master would be one of them. However, much to everyone’s surprise, Po the pudgy panda manages to overcome his weaknesses and fulfill his role as the Dragon Master.
How often do we find ourselves like the furious five, selling other people short? Or, like Po, selling ourselves short. The voice inside our head protests, The problem with selling people short is that we really have no idea what anyone else or ourselves are capable of. We also are forgetting that God can use anyone to accomplish his purposes. The bible is filled with stories of unlikely heroes...Moses, Rahab, David, Paul and even Jesus were the last people anyone would have suspected as history makers.
Nathaniel, one of Jesus' disciples, was one of the people who sold Jesus short. When Phillip told him that they had "found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathaniel's response was, " "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?"
Unfortunately, I can relate to Nathaniel. There have been too many times that I've allowed my narrow minded judgments to get in the way of seeing a persons full potential. So, let's pray today that God will help us overcome our stereotypes. Ask Him to allow you to see people with his eyes and an open heart.
