Facing the Reality of Rejection - EncouragementMama.com encouragement
Have you ever had a week where God pressed a certain issue on your heart and you just couldn’t escape it?
This week, I wrote a blog post for Christians Care International about those who are rejected or outcast. It was a personal, heartfelt post about reaching out to others who are different, lonely, and rejected.
I told the story about how I once helped a kid get back on the basketball team by tutoring him until he brought up his History grade.
Next, I shared about Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, which is my favorite story about crossing cultural barriers to reach the outcast.
Then, I experienced something very unexpected.
Unfortunately, I experienced something that brought me face-to- face with rejection, in a way that woke me up to the reality of the world we live in.
It was an ordinary Friday morning, and I had decided to go to Home Depot. Now, just in case you aren’t aware of this, Home Depot isn’t your typical store for middle-aged moms who don’t have a clue about hardware. However, I needed paint samples, (which led me to grab a few fancy painting tools I didn’t need). I had my basket in hand and was waiting for the man in front of me to finish his purchase.
Then, I heard something behind me. I turned around and saw a small, older Asian man with an armful of things. One of his items had fallen on the floor and I rushed to pick it up. Then, more of his odds-and-ends fell to the floor, so I helped him take his items to a nearby empty counter.
Finally, when it was my turn to check out, I offered to let the man go first. He shook his head “no” so I moved forward. I had just finished my transaction when I heard a loud man’s voice behind me.
I turned around to see the small Asian man behind me, frantically trying to lay his loose items on the counter. A large American man stood right behind him with an angry look on his face. He was telling the older man to back up. He insisted he was going to check out first and told the older gentleman to move out of his way!
Instantly, my “Oh-no-you-don’t” senses kicked in and I said to the big guy towering over me, “Um, actually he was in line right behind me.”
“No he wasn’t.” The guy challenged with a sneer. “He was standing over there.”
I tried to explain, but the man yelled a few more hateful things and stomped away. The poor older gentleman looked shaken, mumbling something under his breath in his own language.
I was in shock.
My heart was pounding. My eyes were swimming with tears. And all I could think to do was pat the man’s back and give him a teary-eyed smile.
Moments later, I sat in my car, right in the middle of Home Depot parking lot and shook with emotion. Tears poured down my face as I cried out to God.
“Lord!” I cried. “Please cover that older gentleman with your grace! Protect him from others who treat him so terribly!”
I was fuming mad at the rude man who had treated a fellow human being as “less-than.” Through blinding tears, I drove home praying and crying, pleading and confessing.
Yes, I confessed.
Because right in the middle of my shaky prayers, I realized how often I’d been the rude one. How often I’d been the impatient one. How often I’d been the one to reject someone else.
Honestly, it didn’t matter that I had never treated someone badly to their face. I had treated people badly in my heart.
Consequently, the reality of rejection hit hard…and I mean hard!
When I got home, the only thing I could think to do was go on a walk. Now, LISTEN. I never think of exercise as a way to calm down. Usually, it’s cookies or soda, Netflix or a nap.
However, this time God led me into His beautiful creation as a reminder that the world is not all bad…
- There is beauty to be seen.
- Not everyone is rude and awful.
- There are kind and loving people.
- There is a kind and loving God.
Ultimately, my face-to-face encounter with rejection was painful…very painful. My eyes are stinging with tears as I type this. But I’m grateful for the experience, in the sense that it caused me to self-reflect on the ways I’ve been no different than the rude guy at Home Depot.
In the end, this experience caused me to cry out to God on behalf of those who feel outcast, mistreated, and rejected. And, it has caused me to confess my own sin and shame.
Now, please let this be an encouragement to you today. Those who are in front of you at the stoplight, the checkout counter, and in a hundred other places are precious people created by a loving God.
Let’s slow down enough to see them…really see them. And, let’s face the reality of rejection so that we can make a difference.
Grateful to be on this journey with all of you,
Jennifer
