Rejected
My skin isn’t thick enough.
Because I’m in my early 40’s you might expect me to have the emotional capacity to shrug off feelings of rejection. But I don’t. At least not all the time. A series of events colluded against my heart over the last few weeks:
- I’ve recently tumbled down the list of people whose opinion matters to my teenage daughter. Developmentally normal, I know, but I still feel the loss of her esteem.
- A heart-felt, oft-expressed invitation to come visit us was again turned down; our family’s hopes of sharing special time with people we love were dashed.
- Several of my children have experienced isolation from their peers, in some cases for their faith. My mother-heart feels their pain as my own.
- Our Easter Sunday was spent without the fellowship of friends or family.
Jesus knew a little about this, didn’t He?
- The people of His hometown of Nazareth drove Him away after hearing His teaching in the synagogue. (Luke 4:29)
- The Jewish people demanded His death, preferring a common criminal over their Messiah. (Luke 23:23)
- Jesus’ earthly family thought He was crazy. (Mark 3:21)
- Peter denied knowing Jesus three times in just one night. (Mark 14:68, 70, 71)
And most poignantly, on the cross:
And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
— Mark 15:34 ESV
Being forsaken by God is a pain I will never know. Christ experienced it on my behalf. Instead, I know only acceptance by God; Jesus’ blood purchased my reconciliation:
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.
— Colossians 1:21,22 ESV
While I may experience human rejection, Jesus died that I might never experience rejection from God, warranted by my sin. As a recipient of grace, redeemed by Christ’s sacrifice, I am now part of a Holy Priesthood chosen by God. (1 Peter 2:9) He didn’t die for the institution we know as the church, He died for the individuals that comprise it — you and me — so that we would be restored to communion with God.
Our inclusion comes with a calling:
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
— Colossians 3:12-14 ESV
While the feelings of rejection I experience may pierce me, I am consoled by the knowledge that I am chosen and beloved by God. This alone enables me to do as Paul exhorts: