Episode #63 - God Doesn't Make Junk

My wife is off enjoying South Carolina, and they stopped in at a very special coffee shop that employees primarily those with disabilities. Having two children with down syndrome of their own, they are on a wonderful mission to change the way our society and others view people with disabilities, and I applaud them!  Because well...God doesn't make junk. Every single person has been fearfully and wonderfully made, and your life has immense worth! Reject the way the world rejects others, and proudly declare the value of every person who is a masterpiece of God. 

#SetYourMindAbovePodcast

Transcript

Welcome back to all of our listeners! I’m BJ Sipe, and you’re listening to the Set Your Mind Above podcast – where everyday ordinary events teach us extraordinary eternal truths. I’m so glad that you’ve tuned in today, I am excited to share my life and my faith with you, and I sure hope that you’ll do the same with me along the way. 

This is my second full day of playing Mr. Mom, and like I said yesterday, I am absolutely loving it. Today after our normal morning routine, we all got ready and went and did a picnic at the park. It was a beautiful day outside and the kids just loved being able to get out, run around, and burn off some of that pent up energy from yesterday’s rainy day we spent indoors. But todays podcast does not actually come from anything we did or experienced today, but rather from my wife who is enjoying the beautiful downtown area of Charleston today. She called us this afternoon to see how we were doing and to fill us in on how her trip so far has gone. They are having a blast, but the thing she was most excited about sharing with us was a coffee shop that they stopped into there in Charleston. If you know my wife or myself even a little, you know that we are always on the hunt for a great cup of coffee and a new coffee shop we have not been to before. However, where they went to in my book has surpassed them all, not because of the coffee or the atmosphere, but because of the mission. The name of the establishment is called Bitty & Beau’s, and their story is pretty incredible. Ben and Amy Wright opened their first location back in 2016, but they were not merely opening another coffee shop – their mission was far different. Ben and Amy are the proud parents of 4 children, the youngest two of which are named Bitty & Beau, whom the coffee shop is named after. Bitty and Beau both have down syndrome, which in their words make them feel like the luckiest parents in the world.  I know so many families that have been blessed with a child or several children with down syndrome, and I’m sure you would echo my thoughts when I say they have some of the most joyful, loving hearts you will ever know. I remember growing up that there was a man with downs who would walk around Salem with big Mickey Mouse gloves and sorcerer hat, and we would sit with him and spend time with him as often as we had an opportunity to do so. Unfortunately, there are many people who do not view people with disabilities the same way that you or I might view them. I was having a conversation with one of my elders today and he stated that we live in a society that simply wants to throw things away that are different or “broken”. Unfortunately, there are many who even view “people” this way – that if you have a disability, your quality of life is really not worth living. Perhaps the most hurtful thing that has ever been said to Kylie and I was after our first miscarriage which was also our first pregnancy. Someone walked up to us when they heard the news and said, “Well, maybe there was something wrong with the baby anyway, so this is a good thing.” I have never been more hurt or angry than in that moment, it was such an ignorant and terrible thing for someone to say. Even if there was something “wrong” with our baby, there would have been nothing wrong with our baby. Life is precious, and I mean all life. That is the same way that Ben & Amy Wright feel, and so they have set out to make a difference. 80% of people with disabilities are unemployed, and Bitty & Beau’s have set a goal to change that. The majority of their employees all have disabilities, including other individuals with down syndrome themselves. When you walk in, they have merchandise you can purchase to help spread important messages such as, “Radically Inclusive”, “Leave Your Doubt At The Door” or very simply and powerfully put, “Not Broken”. Needless to say, visiting one of their locations is now on my check list of places I absolutely need to visit. I am so grateful for the Writes and how they are using their experiences and position to help spread a message of love and inclusion for those with disabilities and how we treat them. 

I want to say something today, and I want you to listen loud and clear to what I am about to say: God doesn’t make junk. Everything that comes from the hands of our creator is a masterpiece. And yet we live in a world that wants to throw away the most beautiful thing our God created: people. According to Human Life International, almost 90% of preborn diagnosis of down syndrome end in abortion. Does that make you sick to your stomach like it does me? It makes me angry, embarrassed, and sad all at the same time. Abortion in my opinion is the greatest evil of our time, and yet the vast majority in our world see nothing wrong with terminating a pregnancy for any reason, especially if something is “wrong.” Let me say it again: God does not make junk! People are not born broken, people are born and fashioned perfectly by the hands of their Creator! By saying this I am not diminishing the difficulties or sacrifices that come to families or those with disabilities, that is most certainly true. But such challenges in no way, shape, or form take away from the immense worth and value of every single human life. Psalm 139:13-16 reads, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.” Every single one of you are fearfully and wonderfully made, all of you. It does not matter the if you were born with or without a disability, it does not matter what the color of your skin is, it does not matter weather you are healthy or struggle with serious health conditions, you were formed and fashioned perfectly by God! You were created in his image, and as such you are his workmanship, a masterpiece that no one else but God could make! You are more important to God than you could ever imagine, in fact you are so important to him that he not only created you, but he sent his Son here to this earth so that you might be recreated in him! Not only has he given you life, but he wants to give you eternal life. Knowing these things, proudly and boldly reject the worlds rejection of others. You have value because of who made you, and how he made you is not broken. The only thing that is truly broken about us is our sin, and God through Christ has offered a way to make us right again. We come to him broken, not because of any disability or condition, but we come broken in sin, and he mends and heals us by his grace and mercy. If you are listening to this podcast and are anywhere close to the Danville area, we want you to know that you are welcomed here at this church where I serve in ministry. You will be treated with honor, respect, and love when you walk through those doors – so come and spend some time with our church family. For the rest of you, go out and share this message. Remind others of the immense value that they have, and fight against the powers of Satan that teach people otherwise. God does not make junk, you are a masterpiece, the very work of the hands of our Creator. 

Thank you so much for listening to today’s episode. Tune in, Tuesday-Fridays, as a new podcast episode will be uploaded each day. Also, be sure to follow the Facebook page for the Set Your Mind Above podcast for future announcements and video sessions. As you have the opportunity, share these thoughts with your friends and family, and share with me what important lessons you are learning from every day, ordinary events. Until next time know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each and every day set our minds above.