Luke 4:24(KJV)
And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.
Jesus, visiting Nazareth, was rejected because the Nazarenes knew Him; they knew His father, mother, and siblings. They knew Him as the carpenter’s son, so they did not believe He could do anything good. Therefore, they were offended by Him because they were too familiar with Him and missed their blessings. Familiarity robbed them of the great advantage of having the Messiah among them. Jesus was rejected by His own, which made Him make this remarkable statement “A prophet has no honor in his own country.” After the rejection in His own home, He went on to do great and marvelous miracles. In other words, rejection is often the birthplace of greatness. The sign of the anointing on our lives is confirmed through the rejection in our lives. So, when God Anoints, it does not matter who rejects because His Anointing on our lives outweighs every opposition.
The spirit of familiarity and rejection are two of the most common challenges in life. There is something in humanity that makes us take the familiar for granted. We heap praises on the guest speaker or expect our experts to be from out of town with credentials that include places we haven’t been and degrees we haven’t earned but overlook the fine speakers in our midst. We marvel at the flowers in the botanical gardens but miss the sunflower in our backyard. Many are constantly robbing themselves of their blessings because of familiarity. For some others, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Many times, when God turns to use someone from among us in extraordinary ways, it can provoke jealousy and stirs doubt. It is a subtle trap we must avoid if we desire the blessings of God. In this life, not everybody will like us; some may even aggressively dislike us. This rejection might come in varied forms; in our work, school, business, or career. But never be overwhelmed by desertion because if God is for us, who can be against us? Absolutely no one! It doesn’t matter what men think of us. What counts is what God thinks about us. The world may take us for nonentities, but God has made us leaders, stars, celebrities, and magnates. He specializes in turning lives around, changing hopeless situations to enviable ones, converting sorrows to joys, and taking away our burdens. In Matthew 21:42, “Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, The same is become the head of the corner: This is the Lord’s doing, And it is marvellous in our eyes?” Count it all joy when faced with rejection. As surely as the Lord lives, it will turn out for our good. We are the chief of the cornerstone.
Beloved, you are a candidate for distinction. No matter your background, if God has laid His hands on you, the world must celebrate you. Be strong and always encourage yourself in the Lord when you face rejection in your life. Never allow the negative utterances hurled against you to settle in you; discard them. Your story shall change from the stone the builders rejected to one that is undeniably the head of the corner. Make positive declarations about yourself and have faith in God to fulfill His plan and purpose for your life. Rather than brood over rejection, launch out in your strength and allow God to display the deep-rooted talents in you for His Glory. Child of God never gets too familiar with any pastor that will make you miss out on a very vital blessing. Know that God can use anyone to bless you regardless of how much you may know about them. Today look beyond yourself and others and help bring into reality what you can be in Christ. Encourage greatness and believe that God can make any among us, young or old, big or small, into someone great for His use. Remember, whatever you do not place value on cannot work for you.
O Lord, terminate every spell of rejection in my life and empower me for greatness in Jesus’ Name.