John 8:59 (HCSB) 59 At that, they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple complex. John 10:31 (HCSB) 31 Again the Jews picked up rocks to stone Him.    Do you ever feel like you are unwanted?  Or do you ever leave a situation feeling as though you’d been beaten emotionally and mentally? You are in good company.  Jesus and the Apostles received the same treatment; the same response to their message or ministry. At the very least, they were often asked to leave the area.    Matthew 8:28-34 (HCSB) 28 When He had come to the other side, to the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met Him as they came out of the tombs. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. 29 Suddenly they shouted, “What do You have to do with us, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?” 30 Now a long way off from them, a large herd of pigs was feeding. 31 “If You drive us out,” the demons begged Him, “send us into the herd of pigs.” 32 “Go!” He told them. So when they had come out, they entered the pigs. And suddenly the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the water. 33 Then the men who tended them fled. They went into the city and reported everything—especially what had happened to those who were demon-possessed. 34 At that, the whole town went out to meet Jesus. When they saw Him, they begged Him to leave their region. Other times the reaction of those who witnessed miracles was to decide that Jesus was of Satan, or that Jesus was insane The response of people to our good intentions is often the same.   I knew of a lady that served her church faithfully for over ten years.  When someone else wanted her position, a small group within the church began to spread rumors – just little half truths here and there.  After a year of trying to hold on to her integrity, she has decided to move on to serve somewhere else.  You’ve never met a quieter, more upright individual who possessed Christian integrity and pureness of heart. So what do we do when others mistrust our motives and pass judgment without reason? When Nazareth tried to stone Jesus, He moved on to Capernaum to set up headquarters. When towns didn’t accept the Disciples, they dusted their feet and moved on to the next town. When Paul wasn’t accepted, he left and moved on to minister elsewhere. Jesus told the Disciples: Matthew 10:14 (HCSB) 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that house or town. What did God tell Samuel when Samuel continued to grieve over Saul’s disobedience? 1 Samuel 16:1 (HCSB) 1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long are you going to mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem because I have selected a king from his sons.” God told Samuel to “Go!” We were not saved to sit.  We were saved to serve.  Jesus could have sat around and felt sorry for Himself because of the rejection of His own hometown.  He could have mourned over the rejection of those He created; those for whom He left Heaven to be crucified.  He could have gotten angry and destroyed them all with one word.  Jesus could have reacted in a number of ways, but He didn’t.  He went on to the next ministry opportunity. How do you react when others are unappreciative - or down right resistant to your acts of kindness?  Do you feel sorry for yourself and get angry or pout?  Do you move on to the next ministry because you see that they have not really rejected you, but the Jesus that is within you? 1 Samuel 8:7 (HCSB) 7 But the Lord told him, “Listen to the people and everything they say to you. They have not rejected you; they have rejected Me as their king. John 15:20 (HCSB) 20 Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will also keep yours. We have a choice and the choice we make depends upon our focus. Our focus depends upon our source of significance.  Do you get your significance from the reaction of others or from your position in Jesus? Jesus got His significance from God.  When man would have flattered Him and made Him a king, He knew to continue on the path that God had given Him to follow. John 2:24-25 (HCSB) 24 Jesus, however, would not entrust Himself to them, since He knew them all 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify about man; for He Himself knew what was in man. There was no codependency with the people that Jesus healed.  He instructed the demoniac to go back and tell the people in Decapolis.   When Jesus returned – later – the town was receptive to His message. Mark 5:18-19 (HCSB) 18 As He was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed kept begging Him to be with Him. 19 But He would not let him; instead, He told him, “Go back home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how He has had mercy on you.” When we are rejected or ridiculed or persecuted in other ways, we need to remember God’s admonition to Samuel: I Samuel 16:1 “…Fill your horn with oil and go.” Now, I’m no Bible scholar, but I know that in the Old Testament, the oil stood for the Holy Spirit.  I think that God was just telling Samuel to get over his pity party and get on with the ministry that God had given him.  But the verse got me to thinking… We have the Holy Spirit living within us.  When we are rejected and hurt, we need to go to the Lord in prayer; be honest - as David was in the Psalms - about our feelings and our pain; then fill our horn with oil (be empowered by the Spirit), and go.  Go out there and minister.  Go tell someone about Jesus.  Go live the victorious life that God intended for you to live. You weren’t promised an easy life when you became a Christian.  You weren’t even promised a successful life - by the world’s standards.  But you were promised… “…I will never leave you or forsake you.”  Hebrews 13:5 **Lord Jesus, help me to behave as a mature Christian.  Help me to place my trust in You.  When I am rejected or persecuted, help me to remember that it is not personal.  It is the Christ within me that others are rejecting.  You know how bad it hurts to be rejected.  Please give me courage and endurance.  I want to be a servant who is worthy of his pay.  Thank You for going through so much for my sake.  You died for me.  Help me to live for You.  Amen.