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embracing rejection i'll get back to the GMA awards soon-- wanted to interject with this idea on my heart today.
"I will gladly spend myself and all I have for your spiritual good, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me." 2 corinthians 12:15.
this amazes me-- the idea of embracing rejection. it is so easy to reject rejection and those who reject you. I am truly in and have been in a season of rejection-- like nothing I have ever experienced. And the Holy Spirit is trying to teach me what it means to embrace rejection. This is the way of the cross isn't it? But what does it look like?
I have been weaned off of the milk of human affirmation and am being led more and more into the solid food of Abba's Love. Perhaps the rejection of people has been a kind of forced fast to prepare me for the real feast. One thing I learned in the 40 days of Lent this year is that the Word of God can't be a source of food apart from fasting. It was after Jesus fasted for 40 days in the desert that he was able to respond to Satan-- Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. In the wilderness Jesus feasted on the Word spoken by his Father over him at baptism: This is my Son, my beloved. With him I am well pleased. His identity streamed from the love of the heart of the Father. What I love about this word is that it was spoken prior to Jesus actually doing anything. This is the word of baptism. This gave him the only necessary preparation for his vocation, which sings in this word: Greater love has no one that this to lay down his life for his friends. . . .said another way. . . . This is my body, broken for you. This is the word of Eucharist.
The Gospel is becoming really simple for me-- its about two things: Intimate Sonship & Extravagant Friendship. It sums up the love of God and the love of neighbor: to belong to the Father and to lay down my life for the other; Baptism and Eucharist. The former is identity and the latter vocation. To live at the intersection of these loves is to be alive in Christ-- to walk in the Way of the Cross.
This is to literally carry "death" in our bodies, as Paul speaks of. Perhaps it is to embrace rejection in such a way that life springs forth.
"I will gladly spend myself and all I have for your spiritual good, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me." 2 corinthians 12:15.
what do you think about these thoughts? make any sense?
Labels: theology
posted by John David Walt | at 4/16/2005 11:40:00 AM
Today...
5 Comments:
I think it makes a lot of sense. It's a hard place to be, but God loves it when we're dependent on only Him for everything, so that He can show us that He really can and does fulfill our every need...and even gives us more than we need. And I really like what you said about the intersection of the loves, I had never heard it said like that before.
JohnDeere,
Whenever I read the words of the Saints they often fall upon the concept of embracing rejection. St. Therese of Lisseaux said that she looked forward "to the martyrdom of my soul."
I too have come to believe that rejection is a natural part of the Christian faith and yet I struggle to read between the lines of this post.
Here in the office we had this picture of you sitting on a stage giving a talk in front of a lot of people. Honestly, I hate that picture...
I never have been able to articulate well why I don't like this picture. However, I think it's because it looks terribly lonely. I simply cannot stand the thought of such sadness in you.
Whenever I see this picture I want to walk through the frame and stand there with you so you are not alone.
My gut level reaction to your post is about the same... perhaps this is a season of rejection for you... but I don't want you to be alone in it.
MTL
Wow, I don't remember reading that passage in corinthians. Sure I talk about carrying the cross, being crucified with Christ, but there's something REAL about it when you put it in those terms: Embrace Rejection. What a way to look at life in a world full of us who are changing our identity so that we minimize rejection. Thanks.
J.D. my friend it seems to me as though you are on to something of enormous simplicity. I too am journeying along this path seeking to find the essence of the Jesus' message. Please keep sharing form your heart.
I was stunned to read the NLTs translation of that passage but it does hold. I think that this has profound implications as to how we live in commnuity with one another, even those that don't care for us or our opinions, beleifs, worldviews, or the like. We tend to to quickly view people as adversaries instead of, albeit uncoventional, emmisaries of God's grace.
Thanks for continuing to share....
I think that embracing rejection is essential if we are to be disciples and stewards rather than consumers. This, to my mind, is the key point of contrast with modern American culture. Our problems with money, sex, and power all boil down to the fact that our culture has taken very seriously what I call it's commission: "Go and make consumers of all nations."
But a life rooted in sacrament (as you have woven into your reflection) stands against consumerism. A life rooted in sacrament is a life of hospitality, not consumption. In Baptism, we are received into the family of God, yet we did not initiate our entry. In the Eucharist, we partake of the bread and cup, but as guests appreciating the graciousness and generosity of our host.
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