Read Mark 6:1-56

For those of you that know me personally, you know that I am a very laid-back person. It takes an awful lot to really get me uptight. I’m pretty quick to let things roll off my chest…maybe a little too well.

In fact, there was an event recently that had the potential to get one pretty uptight and angry. I remember Kelly asking, “How can this just not bother you?” I’m not sure. I’m just quick to say, “You know what? It is what it is” and move on.

I get this same visual when Jesus tells His disciples as they were sent out to dust off their feet when someone doesn’t receive them. Jesus says in John 15 that people hate you because they first hated Him. When people rejected the disciples, it wasn’t necessarily because of them personally but the message they were sharing.

We live in a society where it’s all too easy to take offense and hold grudges. We act shocked when people toss us aside and further lean into their sinful lifestyles. People aren’t rejecting us, they’re rejecting Christ.

While we absolutely need to fight to spread the gospel to the outermost corners of the earth, we need to realize there are going to be people who don’t take kindly to the message we are spreading.

At the end of the day, we aren’t the one’s changing their hearts. It isn’t the words that we share that takes people from death to life but the power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of people. People are never going to decide for Christ because you convinced them. They will make such a decision when they open their heart to the Holy Spirit.

How do you handle rejection?

How can you pray for the hardened hearts of people?

Second Corinthians 4:4 tells us that the god of this age (Satan) has blinded the minds of unbelievers. In what way can you be praying for the softening of their hearts?

At the end of the day, we need to recognize that it is only God who can truly reach someone’s heart. Even if they push us away, the seed was planted.

Stay faithful, friend.

Jake Lawson