“Are we almost there?” Cassie asked, nearly bouncing in her seat with excitement.

          Peter laughed and squeezed Erica’s hand across the front seat. “Yes, Princess, just a few more minutes.”

          “Are you excited to see Aunt Janie?” Erica asked, turning back to see Cassie’s beaming face.

          Cassie scrunched up her forehead. “Well, I do like to see Aunt Janie, but I’m really just excited to see the puppies. Is that OK?”

          “Of course, it’s OK, Cassie. It’s not every day you get to pick out a new puppy.”

          Peter turned onto the long driveway leading into the family farm, the wheels kicking up the dry dirt. Two dogs chased the car down the driveway. Cassie leaned her head out the window, calling to the dogs. When the car stopped in front of the farmhouse, Cassie unbuckled her seatbelt, grabbed her braces, and thumped toward the dogs with Erica and Peter close behind.

          The door opened, and Jane came out, wiping her hands on a towel tucked into her waistband.

          “Welcome! I’m so glad you could come out to visit.” She leaned down and dropped a kiss on Cassie’s head. “What would you like to do first?”

          “See the puppies!” Cassie exclaimed.

          “I don’t blame you one bit,” Jane said. “How about if I take you over to the barn while your mom and dad take your things into the house?” She glanced at Erica and Peter, who nodded in agreement.

          Peter lifted the suitcases out of the trunk and handed one to Erica. They took the suitcases to the guestroom and strolled, hand-in-hand, over to the barn, where Cassie was gazing longingly at the puppies.

          “Which one do you like the best?” Jane asked.

          Cassie was silent for a moment, but soon pointed toward a small puppy limping around the edge of the stall. “What’s wrong with that one?”

          Jane frowned. “We’re not exactly sure. He was born with a problem. It seems one of his legs is shorter than the others. He may never run, but doesn’t seem to be in pain.”

          Cassie studied the puppies. “What will you do with all of them?”

          Jane leaned over the stall. “We’ll sell them. Families will come and pick out which one they’d like to take home.”

          “How many have you sold so far?” Cassie asked.

          “None,” Jane said. “We wanted you to have the first pick. Your parents said you were ready to take on the responsibility, so I called them when the puppies were old enough to leave their mama.”

          “The puppy I pick will be the first one chosen?” Cassie asked. Her voice took on a serious tone. “This is important.” Cassie watched the puppies in silence for several moments. Erika and Peter hung back, giving Cassie the space she needed.

          Seven brown and white balls of fluff scampered around the barn stall. One limped along slowly, trying to keep up with his siblings. Cassie pointed toward the limping puppy. “I want that one.”

          “Are you sure, Cassie?” Jane asked. “He might never be able to run after a ball or get up the stairs by himself.”
          Turning to face Jane, Cassie explained. “The fastest and strongest kids always get picked first. They’re not always the nicest ones.” Cassie pointed at two puppies wrestling with one another. One chomped on the other’s ear, her sharp puppy teeth, causing him to yelp. Cassie’s gaze moved back to limping puppy. “The nice ones should get picked first.”

           A tear slid down Erika’s cheek at this insight into her daughter’s world. Of course, Cassie wouldn’t get picked first for teams at school. Her leg braces made her walk slow and uneven, and she could never keep up with the other children. She never mentioned it, never complained.

          Peter glanced at Erika and pulled her out of Cassie’s earshot. “Hey, hon, what’s going on?”

          “My heart aches for Cassie, always getting picked last for things. She shouldn’t have to have a handicapped dog.”

          Peter brushed the tear from Erika’s face. “She doesn’t have to have a handicapped dog. She’s choosing one out of the goodness of her heart.” He grinned. “You wait. Those two will be perfect for one another.”

          Erika sniffed. “I guess.” She turned at Cassie’s excited call.

          “Mommy, Daddy, look! He likes me!” The puppy in her arms licked her face, tail wagging a mile a minute. The look of sheer bliss on Cassie’s face was priceless.

1 Samuel 16:7

 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

1 Corinthians 1: 26-29

Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth. 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. He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast in His presence.

God, You don’t choose the way the world chooses. You didn’t come into the world and choose the kings, the priests, or the religious leaders to be your disciples. You chose common, ordinary folks. You still do today. Help us to remember to look upon others the way You see them, and to realize that all You need is a willing heart to do Your work. We don’t need to be the strongest, the smartest, or the wealthiest to follow You. We can be weak and poor and broken. All we need to do is to say yes when You call. Thank you for calling us to follow You, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.