Turning Back on Rejection

It’s 4:30 a.m. and the streets of downtown are dark and empty. Before I tell you this story, let me explain why I was downtown at this time of the morning. No, I don’t have a secret life. I was taking a friend to the airport for an early morning flight. Because there is a great deal of construction on the interstate, I opted to take a familiar route. Now, back to downtown.

The only signs of life is the homeless man sleeping on a bench with a shopping cart filled with his belongings and lights in the restaurants prepping for the day. As I stop for a traffic light at a major intersection, I notice a homeless man walking toward my car. I knew he was going to ask me for money so before he reached the car I shook my head no. He stopped and held his head down and turned around to walk back to from where he had come. I watched as his shoulders drooped and his spirit of rejection was quite obvious. Something about him did not seem mean spirited, but his actions told the story of continuous rejection. All I could think was maybe he was a guy who was down on his luck. Perhaps, he had no family to call. Something about him was just sad. As the light turned, I continued to drive home. I felt compelled to pray for the homeless population in our city and for the man that I briefly encountered.

Something about the silhouette of this man with the hunched shoulders resonated with me. I thought about how often he felt the sting of rejection from drivers who shook their heads no. Then I envisioned the number of times Jesus was rejected by people who shook their heads no and in some cases waved him off or closed their doors. We are those people. How many times has He spoken to you, given you wisdom to handle situations, or warnings to stay away from certain people and situations. How many times has he simply asked you to not depend on yourself but to lean into him? How many times have you rejected Him?

In Mark 6:1-6, Jesus felt the rejection not from strangers, but by the very people who knew him: family, friends, and community. Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Remembering the homeless man and the anticipation and acceptance that he would be rejected rings with sadness. Jesus also knew that he would be rejected over and over again. I can’t help but think about the rejection that we have all felt at one time. Rejection comes in the form of turning our backs on friends and family because they are not a part of the plan for your prosperity. Rejection is the shame that is given for not being the right skin color or the right social class. Rejection looks like a friend who casts you aside for a new friend or boy/girlfriend. Rejection is the number of times that a person hurts another. They have an expectation that you will always be available. Rejection is the tasteless comment that minimizes someone’s idea or feelings. Rejection is the sting of unrequited love. Rejection is not loving the guy who comes home to give eternal life only to be turned over to death. Rejection. It just has a way.

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