Filling out my Brackets

    Like millions of other people, I as well will be filling out my bracket for this years NCAA Basketball tournament. I love doing this! I pour over each match-up trying to consider each fact available to me so that I can make the best choice. And then of course there comes into play, my favorites which I cannot help but pick and then there are those "Gut Feelings" that I get about certain games. Each and every decision I make is a "Judgement Call" about why I feel one team is better then another. And now while considering my Judgement calls about each game, it occurs to me that I/We do the same thing day in and day out when we make "Judgement Calls" about people we encounter. In a matter of just a few seconds we often times make "Judgement Calls" about new people we meet, the driver in the car in front of us, the lady behind us at the check-out counter at the grocery store, the guy not dressed like me at the ball game and I could go on and on, but you get the point by now. In I Samuel 16:7 this is God's word to you and I, "Do not consider his appearance nor his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." So, this coming week, enjoy making those "Judgement Calls" as you fill out your brackets, but also begin today getting to know a persons heart before you make a judgement call about them and I pray that the person looking at you who is about to make that judgement call about you will do the same. God Bless and have a Great Week! Pastor Rick