Truthful Tuesday: Temporal Popularity - Denise Pass

Jeremiah 20:7-13

7 LORD, you coerced me into being a prophet, and I allowed you to do it. You overcame my resistance and prevailed over me. Now I have become a constant laughingstock. Everyone ridicules me. 8 For whenever I prophesy, I must cry out, “Violence and destruction are coming!” This message from the LORD has made me an object of continual insults and derision. 9 Sometimes I think, “I will make no mention of his message. I will not speak as his messenger any more.” But then his message becomes like a fire locked up inside of me, burning in my heart and soul. I grow weary of trying to hold it in; I cannot contain it. 10 I hear many whispering words of intrigue against me. Those who would cause me terror are everywhere! They are saying, “Come on, let’s publicly denounce him!” All my so-called friends are just watching for something that would lead to my downfall. They say, “Perhaps he can be enticed into slipping up, so we can prevail over him and get our revenge on him. 11 But the LORD is with me to help me like an awe-inspiring warrior. Therefore those who persecute me will fail and will not prevail over me. They will be thoroughly disgraced because they did not succeed. Their disgrace will never be forgotten. 12 O LORD who rules over all, you test and prove the righteous. You see into people’s hearts and minds. Pay them back for what they have done because I trust you to vindicate my cause. 13 Sing to the LORD! Praise the LORD! For he rescues the oppressed from the clutches of evildoers.”

Luke 4:22, 24, 28

“All were speaking well of him, and were amazed at the gracious words coming out of his mouth. They said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”  24 And he added, “I tell you the truth, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown… 28  When they heard this, all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage.”

They did not call Jeremiah the weeping prophet for no reason.  I have wasted too many tears myself lamenting (pun intended), the people who have rejected me.  The place we each hold in this society tells our story before we can.  Gender, occupation, financial status, appearance and our beliefs all speak volumes about us and are perceived differently by each person,as well.

Peers who have chosen a similar path hold similar views.  As a woman, another woman perceives of me quite differently than a man would.  As a home educator, as a mother, and most importantly as a Christian, I represent each facet that I embody.  While this can mean kudos to us when we are surrounded by like-minded people, the tendency of mankind to judge those who are different will likely mean rejection for us at some point.

Popularity is a fruitless pursuit, however, in that it is superficial and evaporates about as fast as we bask in it.  Although no one enjoys being cast aside as different or odd, it is the glory and privilege of a Christian to be so, and our calling.  We will not be popular when we serve God in a godless society, but the eternal rewards we reap will be worth it.

Seeing how Christ, the perfect One, was treated one moment and then discarded the next is a comfort to us who are so treated.  Cliques and groups that exclude others may or may not have a motive of inflicting harm, but we who have accepted the gift of salvation never have to despair of losing our position in Christ, for in Him we always belong.  Amen!

Lord, thank You for choosing us and never letting us go!!!  Help us to rejoice in You and be grateful to be identified with You!