Scripture

Our verse for today comes from Luke 19:41, “Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it.”

Background

No. Some people hear that a lot in a day, don’t they? There are salesmen all across this country who spend their entire day just trying to get one person to say something besides “no” to them. Children hear more than their share of “no’s,” too. But like that determined salesman, so many kids keep coming back with request after request, regardless of their success rate. As I grew up, I became less and less adept at dealing with hearing “no.” The combination of how it made me feel, the uncomfortable moment when the rejection was certain to come, and the possibility of causing the other person any discomfort for having to respond negatively made me avoid those situations more and more. I would rarely invite others to do something, and asking a girl for any occasion was nearly traumatic. Even now, I am hesitant to initiate an activity or invite others along because I just don’t enjoy being turned down.

Application

Jesus dealt with a great deal of rejection. In fact, His job description from the Old Testament included being rejected as one of the characteristics. And being turned down bothered Him, too. But not simply at the human, emotional level where I dwell, although I’m certain He felt it there, too. His grief was borne out of a much higher, more grand cause. For when I am passed over or turned away, the other party is probably left with several other fine options from which to choose. My offer was not the best of the lot. But for Jesus, that’s not the case. When He is rejected, there is no other, better choice to be had. When people tell Him “no,” they don’t trump His offer with some secret golden ticket hidden up their sleeve. The people, the cities that rejected Him then, and those who reject Him now, weren’t holding onto a better map. They were looking at a city road map when they really needed a map of the constellations. When Jesus is rejected, He grieves because He knows there is no other way of salvation than Himself. So when He invites you along that path, be sure to have your “yes” handy.

Charge

As we seek Him today, make sure your day of following Jesus is not littered with little rejections along the way. Beware of all the other ways you’ve devised to tell Him “no.”

Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words