stones of rejection

725 stones of rejectionWe've all experienced the pain of rejection, whether it's at home, at school, looking for a partner, with friends, or when applying for a job. These rejections can be like little stones that people throw at people. An experience like divorce can feel like a giant rock.

All of this can be difficult to deal with and limit and oppress us forever. We know the old adage, Sticks and stones can break my bones, but names can never hurt me, just isn't true. Swear words hurt us and are very painful!

The Bible says a lot about rejection. You could say that in the Garden of Eden our first parents rejected God Himself. As I studied the Old Testament, I was amazed at how often the people of Israel rejected God and how often He came to their rescue. They once turned away from God for 18 years before finally turning to Him again out of grace. It was amazing that it had to take so long to turn around and ask for help. But the New Testament also has a lot to say about it.

The woman from Samaria who met Jesus at Jacob's well had five husbands. She came to fetch water at noon when everyone was in town. Jesus knew all about her and her faded past. But Jesus engaged the woman in a life-changing conversation. Jesus accepted the woman along with her past life and helped her to have a personal relationship with him as the Messiah. Later many people came to hear Jesus because of their testimonies.

Another woman suffered from a blood disease. She was not even allowed to go out in public for 12 years because she was considered unclean. "But when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling and fell down before him and told all the people why she had touched him and how she was immediately healed" (Luke 8,47). Jesus healed her and even then she was scared because she was so used to rejection.

The Phoenician woman with a demon-possessed daughter was initially rejected by Jesus and he said to her: «Let the children be fed first; for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs or to the gentiles. But she answered and said to him, Lord, yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs" (Mark 7,24-30). Jesus was impressed by her and granted her request.

According to Scripture, the woman taken in adultery was to be put to death by stoning, which were real stones of rejection. Jesus intervened to save their lives (John 8,3-11).

The little children who were near Jesus were first driven away by the harsh words of the disciples: «Then children were brought to him so that he could lay his hands on them and pray. But the disciples scolded them. But Jesus said: Leave the children and do not forbid them to come to me; for such is the kingdom of heaven. And he laid his hands on them and went on from there" (Matthew 19,13-15). Jesus hugged the children and rebuked the adults.

Accepted by lover

The pattern is clear. For those rejected by the world, Jesus steps in to help and heal them. Paul puts it succinctly: “For in him he chose us before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love; he predestined us to be his children through Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace with which he has bestowed on us in the beloved” (Ephesians 1,4-6).

The beloved is the beloved Son of God, Jesus Christ. He takes away from us the stones of rejection and turns them into gems of grace. God sees us as His own beloved children, taken up in the beloved Son Jesus. Jesus wants to draw us into the love of the Father through the Spirit: “Now this is eternal life, to know you, the only true God, and whom you sent, Jesus Christ” (John 17,3).

spread grace

God wants us to show that love, grace, and acceptance to the people we meet, beginning with our children and family, just as God accepts us. His grace is endless and unconditional. We don't have to worry, there will always be more Gems of Grace to give away. Now we know what it means to be accepted by Jesus, to live by grace and to spread it.

By Tammy Tkach