Day 6 of Having a "Mary" Christmas in a Martha World
John 15:12-27; John 14:6; Luke 10:27
Even before Jesus was born, He faced rejection.
His mother and foster father had to make do with bringing Him into the world in a manger because there was no room at the inn. Just shortly after His birth, His parents had to flee to Egypt because of Herod who wanted to destroy Him!
Yikes. Talk about serious rejection!
And it goes on for the next 33 years, others loathed + despised Him.
Rejection was not unfamiliar to Jesus. Nor has it gone away since. We face rejection every day.
As Christians. As women.
Sometimes, those closest to us are the ones who hurt us. And sometimes, we reject our own selves.
But Jesus said, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before you it hated you.” (John 15:18)
In the Bible we see countless stories of women facing rejection.
Hagar was sent away (Genesis 21:8-21), Jacob preferred Rachel over Leah (Genesis 29:15-30:24), Amnon hated Tamar (2 Samuel 13:7-19), the disciples tried to turn away the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28), the crippled woman (Luke 13:10-17), the adulteress (John 8:1-11), and so on.
But when you read of these women, you see the grace + mercy of God upon them.
While the world rejected them, God loved them more.
So how do we handle rejection? How do we find peace? Where do we find comfort when the whole world has shut its doors on us?
Well, Jesus calls us to love one another as He loves us. (John 15:12)
So when the world is rejecting us, our job is to accept the world.
When the world is abandoning us, our job is to welcome the world.
When the world is hating us, our job is to love the world.
Because when the world rejected, abandoned and hated Jesus, Jesus accepted, welcomed and loved the world so much that He died for us.
Accept. Welcome. Love.
Accept that you do not belong to this world. (John 15:19) That you don’t have to let the world’s hatred define you or dictate your worth.
Welcome Jesus into your heart. (John 14:6)
Love Him. Love yourself. Love others. (Luke 10:27)
This Advent season, let the love of Christ be your guide. Let His peace overflow in your heart.
So that no matter how much the world has rejected you, you turn around and love them back.
Peace be with you, my gorgeous faithful sister.
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