Earlier this year I went on a serving trip to Ecuador. It was an incredible experience, as I met up with a High School from California to serve tribes in the jungle. They came prepared with guitars and cajons, and VBS materials for the children there. I didn’t really have anything to offer, and during one of the visits to a tribe, I felt unincluded in the VBS skit and rejected. I sat off to the side while these amazing High Schoolers taught Amazonian children the gospel using skits and coloring pages. I thought to myself, “what am I doing here? I don’t have anything to offer these children.”

Yesterday, we went to one of the many Christmas services our church is offering this year. It was beautiful and culminated in candle light with everyone singing “Silent Night”. As everyone held a candle and passed the flame to their neighbor I was looking around and waiting for my turn. But, for some reason it was not coming to us. Almost the whole auditorium had their candles lit, we were a quarter of the way though “Silent Night” and I stood there waiting for someone to extend their candle to me. It never came. The feeling of rejection started to settle in again.

Reject rejection. Back in Ecuador, I picked myself up and said, “surely there is something I can do.” And I started playing with the kids, swinging them around since I’m a tall tree anyway. And then, I picked them up by their feet and let them be a wheelbarrow. Others joined in and we did wheelbarrow races. The kids ate it up! They loved it and had a blast. Something shifted. I rejected rejection.

At church yesterday, the guy in front of me had his candle lit. I leaned forward and said, “May I?” and I extended my candle towards his lit candle (he didn’t move his arm an inch) but I got my candle lit. I rejected rejection.

Sometimes it’s easy to feel rejected. The enemy would love to get you isolated and feeling alone and not accepted. Reject it! Even if no one else is around, guess what? God says he will never leave our side. He is always there. Susan asked me this morning, “What is God’s favorite thing about you?” I didn’t know the answer but I asked him. He took me back to my childhood where I was innocently playing in front of my house. And just felt a sense of His favor. It also made me think of how I always looked for others to play with. Regardless of their social status, color, beliefs, or whatever. I just like playing with others. God likes that about me. He sees the little boy in me that wants to play with others and accept them for who they are. The same way he accepts me for who I am. Now He lets me share that with others. You are not alone. You are not rejected. I am here for you. And how much more is God by your side? Reject Rejection.

How do you deal with rejection? During the holidays we can sure have moments like my friend described above. We might even experience even worse situations.  How are you handling rejection in this season?

The bible is a great resource to let us know we are not all that unique. We can turn to the bible to see how others lived through life that confuses us.  There are many examples where strong individuals experienced rejection.  Some samples:

David joins his brothers down in Sucoh in Judah, where there had been a long battle between the Israelites and Philistines. David’s brothers had gone to battle in support of Saul, and David was left behind to take care of the flocks back home. David’s father sends David to deliver supplies and check on his brothers. The young man shows up at the battle and is in shock by what he experiences, then he gets to experience the rejection of his brothers… 1 Samuel 17:12-28

Have you ever experienced a time when you went out of your way, or invested more than normal, to only be rejected?

Probably one of the most common references to rejection may be when the jealous brothers of Joseph took measures to extreme and faked his death and sold him into slavery.  The young boy was loved by his father, he was a jubilant boy with many dreams and visions. He shared them openly with family and the older brothers became angry and jealous. Surprisingly, it is another situation where a father sends the younger brother to check on the older siblings… Genesis 37:12-28

Rejection can come from others in unexpected ways, but there are situations where rejection is the consequences to our own actions and behavior.  The most common through the bible is how mankind continues to reject God.  Through all the history of humanity, God has attempted to be involved, and the human culture turns away.

There are many times where consequences unfold for those who reject wisdom and insights of God.  Our challenge is to be wise and take heed when it comes to discernment and direction from God.

As men of God, we will experience rejection. We will have situations where we will need to aid and assist others as they experience rejection.

Is rejection always something to be rejected, ignored and avoided? When is rejection beneficial?

When you face rejection, what are going to be your tactics?

How would you approach a situation where someone asks for insight, hope and clarity during rejection? What are some biblical truths you would use for your response?

Our challenge is to use rejection as an indicator to take action. To either turn to the truth and reject rejection or awaken to our ways and respond appropriately by abiding.