It Is Not Personal

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 8:7, And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.

Any of us who have ever shared the Gospel message with others know the fear of being rejected, and have most likely experienced that rejection. Sadly, what happens after a while, for many of us, is that we take the rejection personal, and we become more hesitant in sharing Christ with others. We can apply what God said to Samuel to our own approach in sharing Jesus with others. The Lord made it clear that the rejection was not really toward Samuel, but toward God Himself. He reminded Samuel in verse 8, that this rejection is nothing new with the people of Israel. As they rejected God in the past and chose other gods, so they were rejecting Samuel’s godly leadership for a king they did not even know yet, and a king who could end up being an ungodly leader. The verse reads, “According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt, even to this day—with which they have forsaken Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you also.” In verse 9, God instructs Samuel how to respond to Israel, “Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them.” How can we apply this to those moments when we are rejected, and even persecuted, for sharing Christ with others? First, we must remember that we have been commanded to preach the Gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). When we are rejected, we must not take the rejection personally, but realize that it is Jesus that is being rejected. The offer to receive eternal life can only be fulfilled by Jesus; therefore, the rejection of the gift is a rejection toward the Giver. If the level of rejection results in persecution, then we need to remember God’s promise to those of us who endure persecution for His sake. Matthew 5:11-12 clearly promises, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Finally, when the message is rejected, we must not shy away from telling people, in love, the consequences of rejecting the free gift Jesus is offering them. John 3:16-18 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” We must always be ready to share our faith with others, knowing that the message will not always be well-received, and that there is a great possibility that we will experience rejection and/or persecution. However, we must not be discouraged, as the rejection, although directed toward us, is really rejection of Christ. We must not shrink away from telling them what Matthew 25:41 says, “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels’”. Revelation 20:11-15 is a sobering message that needs to be proclaimed to those who reject Jesus and His offer of eternal life. It reads, “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” When we truly consider the consequences of dying without Jesus, whether family, friends, or other people we know, is it not worth risking a little rejection or persecution? If we learn not to take rejection personally, when it comes to sharing the Gospel, it will help us to boldly, but humbly, proclaim the Name of Jesus for the sake of the lost and for the glory of God.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).