IT’S CALLED PICKLEBALL
A Pickleball Devotional
Let's be honest: the name "pickleball" is ridiculous. It sounds like a children's game. It doesn't sound serious or impressive. When you tell people you play pickleball, they often laugh or make jokes. The name alone has probably kept some people from trying it because they don't want to be associated with something that sounds so silly.
But here's the thing: despite the goofy name, pickleball is now the fastest-growing sport in America. It's played by millions. Professional tours offer significant prize money. Olympic athletes are switching to pickleball. The silly name hasn't stopped its explosive growth – if anything, the approachable, non-intimidating name has made it more accessible.
The people who refused to try pickleball because of its name have missed out on something genuinely fun, healthy, and community-building. They let pride or embarrassment keep them from something good.
1 Corinthians 1:27 - "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."
Jesus was born in a stable. He grew up in Nazareth – a town so unimpressive that people said "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" He hung out with fishermen, tax collectors, and prostitutes. He died a criminal's death on a cross. None of it looked impressive by the world's standards.
Yet this "foolish" gospel has transformed billions of lives across two thousand years. God consistently chooses to work through things that don't look impressive, don't sound sophisticated, and don't fit our expectations of how power and importance should appear.
Don't let pride keep you from something good just because it doesn't look the way you think it should. Sometimes the best things come in packages that seem foolish or embarrassing at first.
Today's Thought: Don't miss what God is doing just because it doesn't look impressive enough for your ego.
Reflection Question: What person, church, ministry, or opportunity have you dismissed because it seemed too small, too simple, or not impressive enough?