God's Glory Church

“For I myself would like to be separated from Christ instead of my brothers, my relatives in the flesh.” — Romans 9:3

“People stood up to the most powerful monarchs and refused to bow to them,” noted the philosopher and author Hannah Arendt (1906–1975). “However, there are few,” she added, “who can really stand up to the crowd and stand up unarmed against the misguided masses and their stupidity.” As a Jew, Arendt saw this firsthand in her native Germany. It’s scary to be rejected by the community.

The apostle Paul suffered such neglect. He was a trained Pharisee and rabbi, but after meeting the resurrected Jesus, his life changed radically. Paul was on his way to Damascus to persecute believers in Christ (Acts 9). After his conversion, the apostle was rejected by his own people. In his Second Letter to the Corinthians, Paul talked about the troubles that his compatriots caused him, in particular because of them he suffered “beats” and was “in prisons” (2 Cor. 6:5).

At the same time, Paul did not show anger or bitterness because of such neglect, but wanted them to know the Lord Jesus as well. He wrote: “I have great sorrow and unceasing torment for my heart! For I myself would like to be separated from Christ instead of my brothers, who are related to me in the flesh” (Rom. 9:2-3).

God has welcomed us into His family, and may He also help us to invite even our enemies into a relationship with Him.

How did you react to being excluded from the community? Why is it so difficult to realize one’s exclusion?

Loving God, help me, despite the pain and disappointment, to care about those who have neglected me, and to point them to You and to the possibility of being in Your Kingdom.

Author: Bill Crowder