AS I CONSIDER the
possibility that some people – and some Christians – have only ever been
‘popular’ and ‘accepted’, whilst many in this world have learned to live with
being despised, rejected and hated, I ponder Jesus in all this. Jesus was the
most despised, rejected and hated person that ever lived; if we are to take the
last twelve hours of his life as a characterization. Everyone, saving no one,
despised him, rejected him, and hated him – even Jesus’ followers did not enjoy
what negative attention he drew to them personally.
In a crude
analysis, we crucified God – we did it. This truth makes it ever more
remarkable that God knew we would. Yet the Godhead loves us so much that the
Father gave the Son for us, the Son obeyed to the myriad agony of the cross,
and the Spirit testified to his love by making his dwelling in us, by faith in
the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus.
Have you ever been
despised, rejected, hated?
Despised
For what you stand
for, have you ever been despised?
Sometimes God
reveals the truth to us and, by the facts of this truth, we become despised –
even if in passive aggressive ways by people responding indifferently or by them
saying one thing yet meaning another. If we are honest, we will have
demonstrated the same indifference or inauthenticity toward some.
In being despised,
rather than feeling attacked, we can take it like Jesus did: “Father, forgive them; for
they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)
Rejected
For what you
brought to the table, have you ever been rejected?
Acceptance is so
important to us relational beings. It coincides, then, that rejection will be
like having a wet cod smacked around our faces. It stings to our core. There
are many ways of rejection and perhaps the hardest one is that sense of
political correctness, that, “No, I’m not rejecting you to your face, but, deep
down inside, yes I am.”
Let us not forget
the author and perfecter of our faith, our Jesus, was rejected in so many ways
in that final twelve hour period, yet he still said, “Father, forgive them; for
they do not know what they are doing.”
Hated
For who you
actually are, have you ever been hated?
The worst of all
things against anyone – worse than being despised for what we stand for – worse
than being rejected for what we brought to the table – is to be hated for who
we actually are.
Be encouraged!
Jesus – God incarnate – was not only despised and rejected; he was hated, too.
He is hated today – Satan, his angels, and many mortals hate the One of God who
came to save the world. Yet, Jesus’ words resonate: “Father, forgive them; for
they do not know what they are doing.”
***
Though he was despised, rejected, and hated,
Jesus’ words resound through eternity: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know
what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34).
God’s will is for us to follow Jesus’ example when we feel despised, rejected,
and hated. It is not only possible; we can forgive them, too!
© 2013 S. J. Wickham.
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