Accepted or Rejected? What a difference!
Acceptance renews us-making us shine; Rejection makes us feel like a worn out shoe.
Acceptance explained:
Receiving another person willingly especially when the other person’s behavior has been imperfect – i.e., after a failure on their part; being willing to care for another person in spite of offenses or differences.
Acceptance may involve being willing to restore a broken relationship. Being willing to give a second chance…or third; giving others the freedom to fail and begin again.
Acceptance may also give us the chance to re-calibrate our expectations and realize we may have put too much pressure on others to perform as a condition for our love. Do others know you love them regardless of their performance; notwithstanding, others may have to meet standards of success in other places based on their performance.
When others have failed and feel the weight of rejection, they may become discouraged and stop trying. I now there is potential for a valuable life lesson when we have failed and have to pay the consequences; but, even so, that must not stop us from loving them and letting them know we care. We may be the only one loving them as they suffer consequences earned by their poor choices. Since God continues to love us in our times of failure, it seems only right that we should do the same for others who fail us.
Scripture foundation
Ephesians 1:3-6 (JB Phillips translation)
Praise be to God for giving us through Christ every possible spiritual benefit as citizens of Heaven! For consider what he has done—before the foundation of the world he chose us to become, in Christ, his holy and blameless children living within his constant care. He planned, in his purpose of love, that we should be adopted as his own children through Jesus Christ—that we might learn to praise that glorious generosity of his which has made us welcome in the everlasting love he bears towards the Son. (italics and bold are my edit)
Ephesians 1:6 (KJV) – 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Jesus accepted others though they certainly failed to live up to God’s standards. Each had failed in life. They were sinners as we are, but they were loved even as we are. Here are just a few:
- Woman at the well – a Samaritan rejected by the Jews but not by Jesus. John 4:7
- Zacchaeus was a tax collector despised by others but not by Jesus. Luke 19:10
- The leper whom He healed was rejected by all but not by Jesus. Mark 1:40
- Nicodemus religious zeal wasn’t enough for salvation. Faith was key. John 3:16
- Can you think of others who had failed In life but were accepted by Jesus?
They weren’t accepted because they changed, but their being accepted by Jesus led to their changed lives. The same is true for us today.
Practice the Word
Think of those who have failed you, not cared for you when they could have, and didn’t met needs or fulfill your expectations. Who are they, and where are they in relationship to you currently? Have you forgiven them and allowed God to minister healing to your heart and perhaps to the relationship?
Have you failed or disappointed others? Who? How? What was their initial response to your failure or their disappointment in you? Where is the relationship now? Have you been led by God to apologize to them or make restitution somehow?