SCRIPTURE: Psalm 118
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. [Psalm 118:22-23]
Notice the repetition built into this psalm, how thoughts are repeated with variation to bring the point home – what a great and merciful God.
This psalm celebrates God’s goodness to the underdog, the one that is about to be crushed and humiliated, until God steps in!
People are encouraged to entrust their life to God, because He will not let us down.
In the process, he reminds his audience that God prefers to work with the underdog, the one tossed away as useless or unimportant (in the world’s eyes).
God takes the rejected stone and makes it the cornerstone!

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” [Matthew 21:42-43]
Jesus quotes this psalm in the context of a rebuke to the religious leaders.
The privileged ones refuse to accept the blessing, so then it is passed on to those who previously were not privileged, the ‘outsiders’.
This kind of separation between insiders (the people of Israel) and outsiders (the nations, Gentiles) makes us uncomfortable, doesn’t God love all people?
But we’re wrong to think that God only loves a select few – for God so loved the world!
Rather, He chose a few to be His messengers of love for all, and all people could see and hear of God’s love through these chosen agents.
And at the time, they were the underdogs, the little ones that the world rejected.

But what happens when those messengers fail in their task, when they become self-absorbed and forget their calling, and act like the ‘privileged’?
Then God looks for the new underdogs.
When the Jewish leaders reject the Messiah, then He turns to the masses; and when the masses reject Him, He turns to the Gentiles.
Paul addresses this ‘turnover’ in Romans 11, but goes on to add that the Israelites do not lose their kingdom connection forever, but can be brought back too.
Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring! [Romans 11:11-12]

The key to the kingdom is given to a people who will produce its fruit [Matthew 21:43].
This applies to anyone and everyone – rich or poor, Jew or Gentile, etc.
And that fruit is the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, self-control – this is the character of the underdog God loves.
This is the quality of the ‘stone’ upon which God will build His kingdom!
The world rejects this character as weak, but God makes it the cornerstone!

PRAYER:
Lord, You have chosen me to be a messenger of Your love, to demonstrate the fruit of a God-like life. Make me the kind of stone upon which You will build Your kingdom!