Sunday February 24, 2019
Trash or Treasure
We have all heard the saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” That is never more true than when we face the rejection of others.
Have you ever wondered why Jesus had to go through experiences like betrayal and rejection? When God planned out how He would woo his bride to Himself, way back before the foundation of the world, don’t you think He could have planned not to have Judas betray Him? Was it so necessary to have His Son experience the cold shoulder of the Jews when they shouted at Pilate, “we have no king but Caesar?” Why would God allow His Son to be rejected of men?
Isaiah the prophet wrote about Christ more than 600 years previous to His coming:
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering (Is.53:3).
God has a way of using rejection in the process of refiningour character…not that Jesus needed His character refined. I believe it was allowed so that He could comfort us when we went through rejection. (See WORD WISDOM for a deeper study of refining)
Why does rejection wound us so deeply? Because it attacks the very person that we are. It destroys our self-esteem, and attacks who we are and our purpose in life. This is why it is one of the most common tools the devil will use to destroy a person’s life. God never wanted us to feel rejected or abandoned. He desires for you to know who you really are, and realize how deeply God loves, accepts, and appreciates you, so that you can live out the fullness of what all God has ordained you to be. God’s Word tells us that without being rooted and grounded in the love (and acceptance) of God, we cannot experience the fullness of God in our lives
Rejection has a way of destroying a person’s life in a way that few other things can. The sad fact is that the number of people who are affected by rejection is staggering. If we want to be all that God has created us to be, then overcoming rejection and its effects is vital and absolutely essential.
It is vital that we base our identity, who we are, upon what God’s Word says about us. When we do, we become virtually immune from the devastating and hurtful effects of rejection. God promises never to leave or forsake us, so when our identity is based upon what He says of us, we can be assured that we’re not going to face rejection coming from Him.
So what exactly does God’s Word tell us about who we are in Christ?
Because of God’s great love for us, we are adopted into His family (1 Jn.3:1), and made joint heirs with Christ (Rom.8:17))
We are made to sit in heavenly places (of authority over all demons, sickness, etc.) with Christ (Eph.2:6)
We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ (Eph.1:3)
We are the righteousness of Christ through faith, thus being made right before God (Rom.3:22)
We are loved with the same love that the Father has for Jesus Himself! (Jn.17:23)
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for He has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you. (Heb.13:5)
I could go on and on, because the Word of God is so rich and powerful in helping us define who we are in Christ. There’s one verse in Psalms that really puts the light on how we can be freed from the devastating effects of rejection:
When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. (Ps.27:10)
Rejection is all about us…it’s all about the flesh. Rejection is a lie from the enemy that we have chosen to believe. Acceptance is all about God. Acceptance is the truth.
Through the years, I have had a number of people say to me, “I feel like a nobody.” My response to them is, “That’s not what God says about you.” God says you are a somebody. You are so special and valuable to Him that He sent His Son to die for your sins, and He made it possible for the Holy Spirit to come and dwell within you. He did that to remind you on a daily basis that you are valuable beyond measure in His eyes.
“But I feel so all alone in the world,” someone might say. You aren’t alone, because God is with you. He has promised to stay right by your side, regardless of what happens to you. Even if everybody you know has rejected you, God will not leave you. Be assured that you are forgiven and a full-fledged member of God’s family. In Christ, we are His children, never to be denied, rejected, or turned away from His presence.
Perhaps you are afraid that you might one day lose God’s acceptance and love. Nothing, my friend—absolutely nothing—can destroy your standing in Christ or diminish the love He extends to you. Not now, not ever.
When we feel like discarded trash, unwanted belongings, or unneeded cast-offs by others, we must remember we are God’s treasure.
And the LORD has declared this day that you are His people, His treasured possession as He promised, and that you are to keep all His commands. (Deut.26:18 NIV)
For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the LORD has chosen you to be His treasured possession. (Deut.14:2 NIV)