Rejection--Demotion or Promotion?

"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master." -Matthew 10:24


"He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief..." -Isaiah 52:13

Honestly, I don't know anyone who thinks that rejection is the greatest feeling in the world. Most people, including myslef, don't enjoy getting rejected...or the knife that feels like it's slashing through your stomach when you know you're not accepted. Sometimes I try to figure out why I dislike it so much. Probably a psychologist or counselor could give a studious answer to that question, yet all I can come up with is that being misunderstood and not accepted can be tough.

Yet, Jesus let's me know in His own words that I am going to experience rejection in this life...and not just once, but often. Opposition comes with obedience. People are not always going to understand me when I am obeying the voice of my Father and Best Friend--and the hardest part of that is when those people are close friends or family members (people I expect to love me the most and believe in me the greatest) or an extremely influential and persuasive culture. Still, God calls me to a place of abandonment to His voice, and His voice alone--laying down my human desires for a good reputation and a comfortable existence and pleasing man at His feet.

Which is exactly why rejection is good for me--and why God doesn't protect me from feeling the pain of rejection. In the midst of the pain, I find clarity for what this life is really about. Jesus knew rejection well, especially in the moments of being nailed to the cross. But He already died to Himself a billion times before that moment, making His ministry what it was--bold, lovingly aggressive, and completely submitted to the voice of His Father. Rejection pushed Him through the cross, making His soul and flesh submit to His spirit as He chose the treasures of heaven over the treasures of this temporary life. His message would have never been effective if He was busy protecting Himself. I imagine if that was His priority, He could have lived a very obscure and non-confrontational life as a simple carpenter in His little town of Nazareth. But He knew there was more required of Him--and that the more would require sacrifice...but out of a heart burning with love for His Father and for the people who would be changed because of His obedience.

So...I'm not able to honestly say that I'm at a place of being so dead to myself and alive to the way God operates that I don't even fear rejection anymore. But I am learning that when I choose to let rejection take me not just to the cross, but through the cross (into abundant life), the Kingdom of God becomes more real to me...and the kind of life that is available because of Christ's sacrifice becomes something that I would rather have a billion times over the approval and acceptance of man. On the other side of obedience there is blessing--the blessing of nations becoming my inheritance. And on the other side of death to self is the promise of Resurrection Life.