You might have heard the story of David vs. Goliath. Goliath (of Gath) was 9 feet and 9 inches tall - his armour weighed 125 pounds and it is recorded that he taunted his enemies (the Israelites) everyday for 40 straight days. And then there’s David (of Israel)! David was the youngest of his family - a shepherd - and when his father requested that he bring food supplies to his 7 older brothers, he did just that. It was at the Israelite camp where David first heard Goliath’s taunting and was shocked that not one Israelite soldier responded to it. It was David - the shepherd boy - who went to King Saul with the mindset - “put me in coach”.

(My Pastor is preaching a series on this topic for the month of March. So far Pastor Adam has talked about the giant of fear and then this past week - the giant of rejection).

Rejection stings. It’s painful and it has a long memory. We’ve all been there. Spurned. Received the cold shoulder. Felt brushed off. Scorned. Snubbed. You get the picture. It hurts physically, emotionally, spiritually, romantically, and personally.

I’ve been there! You’ve been there.

A boyfriend broke up with me when I was 17 because I didn’t come from a rich family. Apparently we didn’t have the right connections. His mother did say I had nice straight teeth though. (What was I? A horse?)

I’ve been on the outside - looking in - when a group of women are talking about where they are meeting for lunch - and obviously - neglecting to mention the place or time to me - I was left out.

I felt the sting when one of my sons wasn’t accepted into the university of his choice - the marks were enough but not enough connections with higher ups!

Our pastor spoke of his own experience of being the last person picked at recess to be on the team - any team.

It’s what I dislike about the show Survivor. It’s all fun and games when you are hanging with your tribe - all for one and one for all - until it’s time to give someone the boot. Jeff says the fateful words - “the tribe has spoken” and before you know it - your torch is snuffed out!

I grew up in a home where I experienced acceptance and love and it shaped my life in response to the rejections that happened to me along my journey. I’m grateful and thankful for my parents. I’m forever blessed for the pastors and teachers I’ve had - men and women who have mentored me - poured into me - and shaped me to be the woman I am today.

Along my journey I’ve observed a few things about the giant of rejection - things Pastor Adam brought to the forefront………

#1. Rejected people reject people. Some people withdraw first so they won’t get hurt in the relationship. A very long time ago when Randy and I agreed to pastor a local church in small town Ontario, I set out to meet and greet the women who attended the church. Most of those coffee dates went 100% great - only one meeting didn’t go so well. The woman I was meeting up with told me in no uncertain terms that she didn’t want to spend time with me - become friends - walk with or share life - because one day I would move away. She told me that too many people had walked out of her life and one day I would do the same. I understand now. Then I didn’t. She wanted to prevent emotional pain in her own life by rejecting a possible friendship. It could have been from fear or low self esteem - I’ll never know. We never became friends only acquaintances.

#2. We don’t live for acceptance - we live from acceptance. . That truth is exemplified best in Matthew 3:16,17 - “and when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’" Jesus hadn’t performed any miracles yet. He hadn’t healed the sick. He hadn’t given sight to the blind. He hadn’t turned water into wine. He hadn’t made the lame walk again. He hadn’t stopped the issue of blood for the woman who had suffered for 12 years. He hadn’t raised Lazarus from the dead. He hadn’t gone to the cross. Before Jesus did any of those things, His heavenly Father spoke acceptance over Him.

My older siblings constantly remind me that I was cherished and loved - the 9th child to our parents - the little sister after four brothers. I was petted and carried around like a doll by all of them. Even before I had done anything to contribute to our family life - I was accepted.

Psalm 139 says we are formed intentionally - fearfully and wonderfully made - knitted together in our mother’s womb - our frames not hidden from God when we were being made in secret - woven together - all under the seeing eye of our heavenly Father. Rejection loses its power when we remember Who created us.

I am encouraged with the practical ways our pastor shared with us to handle rejection.

#1. Name the giant. You can’t defeat what you can’t define. Name the things that keep surfacing in life. Write them down. Acknowledge them. Then get help to do something about them. Phone a friend. Talk to a therapist. Ask your pastor. Pray.

#2. Replace the narrative. Change the voice in your head that has for too long focused on rejection and replace it. Record all the times you have been accepted and by whom. Replace lies with truth. Even when we fail and slip - God is always faithful to us.

#3. Step forward in obedience. Remember the shepherd boy, David. All he had were 5 smooth stones and a slingshot to defeat Goliath and of course, his belief that God was bigger than the giant. “Put me in coach!”

#4. Remember whose battle it is. Courage isn’t the absence of fear - it’s the presence of trust.

I’m encouraged! I hope you are too. We mustn’t look around for someone else to fight the giants that are placed in front of us. We might not have chosen them but they are our opportunities to grow stronger. Put me in coach!