He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.  John 1:11

 

Would you spend your last night on earth with someone if you knew they were going to betray you the next day? Jesus did. He is faithful, even when we are not. There is no greater opportunity to grow in love than when you’ve been mistreated. Look at Jesus on the cross: He asked His Father to forgive those who ripped the flesh from His back and drove the nails into His hands. How you handle rejection reveals whether or not you’ve truly died to self, for it’s impossible to hurt a dead man! On the other hand, being rejected without being offended is one of the greatest demonstrations of spiritual maturity. It’s being Christ-like! In the Old Testament a priest was disqualified from ministry if he had 'scabs' (an unhealed wound) (Lev 21:20). Why? Because it made him 'touchy.' He couldn’t allow you to get close to him, in case you brushed up against his sore spot. It showed up in the things he said and kept him from functioning the way God wanted him to. Ever been around a 'scabby' preacher? He preaches out of his own unhealed areas, and expounds from the depths of his own struggles. But God has a solution. Listen: ‘But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,' declares the LORD’ (Jer 30:17). God wants to heal you, so that through you, He can reach out and make others whole. Won’t you let Him?