WEDNESDAY WEEKLY WORD ... rejection

Many times during an election, particularly a political election, we rejoice with the winner. Especially if the one we voted for came out as the winner. How many times do we ever give thought to the one who lost.

Even great men can be labeled as "losers"!

THOMAS DEWEY... had many fine accomplishments in the 1930's as a specialized prosecutor, he was also elected 3 times as governor of New York. However, most people remember Thomas Dewey as the loser of the 1948 presidential election to Harry Truman.

Another word for losing is ... "rejection".

REJECTION... it is one of the hardest things that many of us have to face in this life. All the way from losing an election to being rejected by someone of the opposite sex. We are rejected in love, turned down for that "ideal" job, athletes are cut from the team, contractors get out-bidded, graduating seniors get refused admission to the school of their choice.

In last week's YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL, I polled the readers and asked them the following question..."What is the toughest experience of rejection you have had to face?" The top 3 responses were...

1. 31% of those voting said that it was tough when rejected for a job.

2. Another 31% polled said that it was difficult when a parent rejected them.

3. 26% voted and said that the toughest rejection for them was divorce.

This poll confirms that each of us deal with rejection of some sort in our lives, and the most difficult forms of rejection comes thru our relationships. I am reminded that even in the midst of our rejection, we must remember that not only was Jesus rejected, but He came into the world TO BE rejected.

However, God took this rejection and used it. Have you ever considered rejection something that God could use?

In the movie, SEABISCUIT, we saw a story unravel about a horse who was considered small and lazy but yet this horse became a great racehorse, all because of one over sized horse jockey that knew what it was like to be rejected. Here is a story of how one man overcame his rejection and made good of it.

No matter what we do, no matter who we are... someone will reject us. This is a fact and we can very well expect rejection to happen to us. So how do we become like SEABISCUIT and overcome this kind of rejection?

PSALM 118:22-24 "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. (23) This came from the Lord; it is wonderful in our eyes. (24) this is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

SEABISCUIT had a man who had faith in the abilities and strengths that this horse was capable of. You and I have such a man also that believes in us. If we could just take our eyes off of the hope of never being rejected again and focus on how the rejection in our lives can mold us and form us in His image.

HOW CAN YOUR REJECTION CHANGE YOU?

Thank you for joining me for WEDNESDAY WEEKLY WORD, a blog post devoted each week to review my thoughts on a current study that I am personally doing. This week I studied Isaiah 53:3 where we learn that Jesus would be despised and rejected by men. What a reminder to me that without the rejection and the pain ... I may not be able to see exactly the sacrifice that Jesus made for me at Calvary!

YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL: Please take time to vote in this weeks YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL, your opinion really does matter and you will help write next week's Wednesday Weekly Word!