MISUNDERSTOOD
Arriving at a conference centre for a church weekend away, Kay and I felt familiar apprehension. I’d been invited to speak, but we knew nobody. Checking in, and handed a room key by a sullen volunteer, I asked where the vicar was. ‘Over there’ she pointed. The minister looked up, and headed towards us - or so I thought. He marched right past us, pointedly ignoring us, and exchanged only a few words with us throughout the weekend. We learned that he didn’t want us there, and only agreed to our invitation because members of his leadership team were keen. He made it clear: he didn’t like us at all. It was a tough weekend, trying to minister in the smog of rejection was almost impossible.
Returning to His home town of Nazareth, Jesus walked into a barrage of rejection and dismissal - which, according to most commentators included His own family. His four brothers (James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas) didn’t acknowledge Jesus’ authority before the resurrection (cf. Mark 3:21; John 7:5). James would become a significant leadership role in the Jerusalem church, and is most likely the author of the book of James. Jude is thought to be the author of the epistle of Jude. We don’t know what happened to the others.
But this we know: Jesus knew the pain of rejection, but ultimately some who initially misunderstood Him became His loyalist followers. If you’re experiencing rejection, may you be comforted by the truth that God knows. And if you’re being edged out because of your faith, please know that that can change. It did for those two brothers.