One day at work, my father stepped into the elevator and found himself standing next to Gabe Ikard, a former Oklahoma University football player and current offensive tackle for the Cleveland Browns.  He described the encounter to me in a text, sharing a joke he told that got a laugh out of Gabe.  So, I did what any millennial worth their weight in lattes would do.  I took to Twitter and tagged Gabe in a tweet about the story.  He responded with an appreciative recollection of the event and an invitation to my father to join him for lunch the next time he was in town.  

America in 2017 is all about making an impression.  Record a video on your phone at the right time.  Get thousands of views, retweets, and “likes.”  Or, for my dad, tell a good joke to a celebrity.  Basically, say the right things at the right time to have a shot at extraordinary opportunities.

In two different parables of Matthew 21, Jesus values the merit of faith, humility, and brokenness above pedigree and lip service.  The dregs of society, he says, will inherit the kingdom of God ahead of the "chosen race” who rides the exaggeratedly righteous coattails of their forefathers.  And the only way to be counted among those who receive the Kingdom is to be broken by this truth:

“The kingdom of God will be… given to a people who will produce its fruit.”

Give me faith to trust what You say,
That you’re good and Your love is great.
I’m broken inside, I give you my life.