Of all the inhibiting experiences in this life, nothing is as unpleasant as rejection. A young man desiring to connect with a girl who appears attractive to him can be negatively affected. In our physical conditions, the most depressing experience is to be rejected, especially by those with whom one is associated. The primary reason why most people abandon the direction they were created to pursue is the fear of rejection. Like Jesus, each person was created with a mission whose impact is as significant as Jesus’ mission. The only difference is that Jesus never doubted His mission, nor was He deterred by the rejection from His own people.
Regardless of their intellectual capacity, an individual’s character is often determined by their ability to handle rejection. Those who struggle with rejection can never influence anyone and are often used to advance negative behaviours in society. Trendsetters are individuals who adhere to the talents that define them. Fashionable trends are introduced by trendsetters, who do not allow themselves to be influenced by others. Great achievers are often those who have faced significant rejection from their peers. The narratives of individuals regarded as true achievers share a common theme: they all encountered rejection at the outset of their endeavours.
All humans are great achievers by virtue of having gone through the birth process and being physically alive. The challenges encountered in this physical life bring about various problems, including rejection. Rejection often begins with parents who assume they are superior to their children. The uncomfortable truth for many is that no human is born inferior or superior to others. A person considered fortunate to have been born to wealthy parents should not necessarily be viewed as superior to those born into poverty-stricken families.
As humans are created in God’s image, no sin can be greater than despising another fellow human. Each person is essentially a reflection of God, regardless of the perceived state of degradation. The observer of any wrongdoing in a situation must address the perceived condition of degradation. Humans should be regarded as composites of one Man created in God’s image. What is perceived in another, mirrors oneself. The divisions in humanity are caused by Satan but are complicated by experiences of rejection.
The stigma of rejection arises from a disregard for the principle of treating others as one would like to be treated. The natural rejection that comes from the negative impact of non-survival activities is understandable. However, it is one thing to reject the non-survival activity and another to reject the person committed to it. The principle of loving one’s enemies and praying for those who hate them instils the responsibility of correcting the negative effect of rejection. First and foremost, each person was created to be their brother’s keeper.
Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the Lord.” Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in the process of time, it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him (Genesis 4:1-8 NKJV).
The above anecdote exemplifies the impact of rejection. The two brothers were the first offspring of Adam after expulsion from the Garden of Eden. Influenced by Adam’s sin, Cain’s rejection of his brother was driven by jealousy. From that moment, Cain established a pattern that would characterize humanity as we know it today. The rejection of his brother was not due to any wrongdoing on his brother’s part but rather because his brother had done what pleased God. Instead of learning from his brother, Cain believed that eliminating him was the best course of action. He could not even heed God’s counsel, but did God cease to regard Cain as His child?
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.”
And Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.” And the Lord said to him, “Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him (Genesis 4:9-15 NKJV).
Cain’s response to God’s inquiry about his brother’s whereabouts is undeniably offensive and deserving of severe punishment. He asserts not being responsible for his brother, whom he had killed. Consequently, he becomes a cursed individual from that moment onward, but God does not take his life. Instead, Cain is condemned to be a fugitive and a wanderer. Unrepentant for his brother’s murder, Cain feels deep sorrow only for himself. Remarkably, God answers his plea by placing a curse on anyone who kills Cain: “Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” The Lord sets a mark on Cain to prevent anyone from killing him.”
God places a sevenfold curse on anyone who kills Cain while he is a fugitive. The story of Cain and Abel highlights the fundamental nature of God. Contrary to the common assumption that God hates those considered wicked, He inflicts a sevenfold curse on those who treat such people badly. It is impossible for a true child of God to feel such hatred towards those deemed unlikable in this world. The principle of loving our enemies and praying for them is consistent with God’s nature. The Israelites had a beautiful hymn meant to help them understand the God they were connected with.
“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
2 Oh, give thanks to the God of gods!
For His mercy endures forever.
3 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!
For His mercy endures forever:
4 To Him who alone does great wonders,
For His mercy endures forever;
5 To Him who by wisdom made the heavens,
For His mercy endures forever;
6 To Him who laid out the earth above the waters,
For His mercy endures forever;
7 To Him who made great lights,
For His mercy endures forever—
8 The sun to rule by day,
For His mercy endures forever;
9 The moon and stars to rule by night,
For His mercy endures forever.
10 To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn,
For His mercy endures forever;
11 And brought out Israel from among them,
For His mercy endures forever;
12 With a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm,
For His mercy endures forever;
13 To Him who divided the Red Sea in two,
For His mercy endures forever;
14 And made Israel pass through the midst of it,
For His mercy endures forever;
15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,
For His mercy endures forever;
16 To Him who led His people through the wilderness,
For His mercy endures forever;
17 To Him who struck down great kings,
For His mercy endures forever;
18 And slew famous kings,
For His mercy endures forever—
19 Sihon king of the Amorites,
For His mercy endures forever;
20 And Og king of Bashan,
For His mercy endures forever—
21 And gave their land as a heritage,
For His mercy endures forever;
22 A heritage to Israel His servant,
For His mercy endures forever.
23 Who remembered us in our lowly state,
For His mercy endures forever;
24 And rescued us from our enemies,
For His mercy endures forever;
25 Who gives food to all flesh,
For His mercy endures forever.
26 Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven!
For His mercy endures forever” (Psalms 136:1-26).
The lyrics of that song are arguably the most beautiful of all the Psalms. They describe God’s nature, enduring sinful humanity, which would deserve annihilation if justice were fairly executed. The hymn illustrates God’s nature as not rejecting sinful humans, even in total confusion that offers no hope. God’s primary aim is to eventually reveal Himself to a people mired in sinfulness, like Cain. However, God is more concerned with the spirit than with the physical aspect of humanity. It is essential to understand that the significance of humanity is spiritual rather than what is observed in physical form.
Although often dreaded, rejection should not alienate humans from one another. By constantly focusing on what was created in God’s image, it becomes impossible to be dampened by the negative effects of rejection by others. The starting point is to answer whether the cause of rejection harms others. This requires heeding God’s counsel. “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it” (Genesis 4:6-7 NKJV).
God is focusing on cultivating the aspect of humanity that will lead to acceptance. Cain was estranged from God, who continued to hope that Cain might come to his senses, repent, and be accepted. This aspect of endurance, displayed by God, is required of those identified as His children. One cannot be identified as God’s child without understanding this concept. We are God’s children when we understand and apply the principle of treating our fellow humans as we would like to be treated.
Positive treatment of others is conducted regardless of their sinful conduct. Without the distinction between the Son of Man and the Son of God, there would be no hope. Jesus provided the solution, granting the ability to handle all forms of rejection, for qualification as God’s child. Rather than merely teaching that principle without practising it, Jesus demonstrated the how part by submitting Himself to crucifixion. He was rejected by those assumed to be His own people without justification. Their behaviour mirrored Cain’s behaviour toward his brother Abel.
From that point onwards, rejection would not be a concern if one would be convinced that their actions are acceptable to God. The Bible does not show that Abel physically resisted his embittered brother’s behaviour, except that God was watching. Before His departure, Jesus classically instructed His disciples to confront such forms of rejection, aware that He had overcome the world.
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause’” (John 15:18-25 NKJV).
True Christianity entails the risk of being rejected by the world. The physical pain seeks to make righteous conduct appear wrong when faced with various forms of rejection. Rejection begins as early as childhood when born into a family that lacks an understanding of Christian principles. This underscores the necessity of regarding Jesus as the sole author of righteousness. He provides a stable datum to hold onto, helping us revert to the source of our origin. The magnitude of rejection may seem overwhelming, especially when death becomes a threat, but death is defeated in the resurrection.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing relief to those having witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
The Print copy is now available at Amazon.com for $13.99
Also available as an e-copy at Lulu.com for $6.99