"Overcoming Rejection" - Luke 6:17-28 - February 15, 1998

This past week we observed Olympic athletes skating on the ice or skiing down the mountains. I watched with wonder and awe as skiers came speeding down the slopes at amazing speeds. One event was live and several skiers lost their balance and went crashing into the fence and tumbling in the snow. Suppose you had trained all your life and you had one chance to ski down the mountain with the whole world watching. You had trained over and over, taking every turn, every jump with precision and determination. But, in a millisecond your goal of getting a medal disappears. Imagine not just the pain, but the hurt, sadness and personal rejection.

There is not one person here this morning who has not experienced rejection at some time in your life. All of us have hopes, dreams and desires which sometimes collapse or are taken away from us. When we are rejected we are devastated and it could take years before we can overcome those feelings. Perhaps the woman or man of your dreams did not love you in the same way. Perhaps the job you wanted was given to another. Perhaps your independence has been lost due to a health problem or disability. The possibilities are endless and the feelings are real.

Hardly a week goes by when I don’t minister to someone who is grieving over a loss, suffering from illness or disappointed because of some setback in their life. Of course the common responses to rejection are: "don’t worry, be happy," "you’ll get over it," or "there is a reason for everything." It has been my experience that these empty phrases have virtually no healing power. How do we overcome rejection? How do we rise above our personal defeats, picking ourselves up from the ice and slippery slopes?

That day on the mountain, Jesus was surrounded with people who had been rejected. They were the country’s poor, the sick and lame. They were powerless, without hope and fulfillment. So, they came, seeking healing, consolation and liberation. Jesus was empathetic with their plight, but he was also concerned with their attitude. He ministers to them by giving them a blessing. "Blessed are you that hunger now, for you shall be satisfied."

Jesus enabled his listeners to overcome rejection by giving them a blessing. This is empathy in its finest form. He acknowledges their feelings and experiences by "blessing" them. Who does he bless? He blesses those that make sacrifices, those that have vision, those who grieve and those who take a stand. For those who have nothing, will have everything. For those who seek will be fulfilled. For those who are sorrowful will be joyful. For those who are rejected will have prominence. Jesus is saying that you can expect a complete reversal of circumstances. God is totally aware of our life experience and God alone will have the last word.

The problem with our society is that we don’t understand the power nor the dynamics of giving a blessing. We underestimate its power and we are not in the habit of giving empathy. Few people are tuned in to your feelings of rejection. Most ignore them completely. Many simply "stuff" them, hoping that they will go away. We are a people that want to fix or problem solve. We want answers and a rational explanation for everything that happens. Or, we believe that hard work and discipline will make everything turn out right. Do you think that the skier that crashed on the ski slope was not disciplined? Did he deserve to slip and fail because he didn’t work hard enough?

I heard a story this past week that illustrates how our society treats personal rejection. A man with a critical illness was lying in a hospital bed, desperately wanting some word of encouragement. A nurse said to him, "you just need to work harder." This man had undergone multiple surgeries and is critically ill. What he needed was a "blessing." What the skier who crashed on the slope needed was a blessing.

Jesus blesses the crowd. He promises that the poor will prosper, that the hungry will be fulfilled. He assures those that grieve that they will receive joy and those that are rejected will be respected. Jesus is encouraging us to dream, to have faith, to expect consolation. In an irrational and profound way, God will turn everything upside down. Like the cross country skier from Kenya, a man from a hot and desert climate who raced in the cold snow. He will be remembered more than the man who won the gold medal.

This past week I had the opportunity to do a "house blessing" for our local Habitat for Humanity organization. It is the custom in Habitat to "bless" each house that has been completed. This family could not afford to own their own home. But, through this labor of love and faith a dream became a reality. Those that would ordinarily be rejected by banks and builders were accepted by people with faith, big hearts and big dreams.

Rejection is a universal experience for us all. It comes in many forms; failure, loss, abandonment, betrayal, alienation, exclusion, sickness, etc. It is during these moments that a blessing from God can really help. I visited a woman this week who was scheduled for surgery. She had prepared herself for the event but when the time came the surgeon told her he was cancelling it. She was greatly distraught. The surgery was risky. It was no guarantee that she would have good health again. No one understood the depth of her disappointment. I prayed with her and as I was leaving I said, "God bless you." Whether or not she heard my prayer I don't know. I'm sure, however that heared the blessing.

God is in the business of blessing. At the same time we are asked to be in the business of blessing others. Jesus not only blesses his listeners but also reminds them that self-serving attitudeds will bring them woe. "Woe to you that are full now, for you shall hunger." Jesus cautions his listeners that contentment, satisfaction and prominence are not something we can dwell on. It is at these moments that we need to press on, seeking, giving, empathizing with others. Happiness and prosperity are not a license to ignore the rest of the world. When people are down and out they use coping methods that are unhealthy or dysfunctional. They blame government, criticize their relatives, even show anger at the people who are trying to help them. They too, need a blessing. rather than show malice toward them we are to love them. "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you."

Do we hear the blessings of Jesus? Are we living under the blessings of God or are we living by the curses of man? We can overcome rejection when we hear the empathetic voice of Jesus, who affirms our sorrow, acknowledges our pain, and gives us hope. It is unlikely that any of us will slip on the ice in the Olympics, but when we do find ourselves in snowbound conditions we can expect God to bless us.

Dr. Keith Wagner, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, Sidney, Ohio