How do we cope with being excluded by others? - Admission/Exclusion - TouchPoints

Isaiah 66:5“Hear this message from the Lord, all you who tremble at his words: “Your own people hate you and throw you out for being loyal to my name. ‘Let the Lord be honored!’ they scoff. ‘Be joyful in him!’ But they will be put to shame.”

Matthew 19:29-30“Everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.”

Luke 6:22-23“What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven.”

Luke 13:30“And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.”

1 Peter 4:16It is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!

Having an eternal perspective helps us handle being excluded by friends, family, or others because of our faith. When others exclude us because of our faith in God, we are being given a great honor. No one likes to be shunned or excluded from a fellowship or family, but if this happens because we are true to God, he will bless us for it.

Isaiah 53:3He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.

Mark 3:20-21One time Jesus entered a house, and the crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his disciples couldn’t even find time to eat. When his family heard what was happening, they tried to take him away. “He’s out of his mind,” they said.

Mark 10:33-34“Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die and hand him over to the Romans. They will mock him, spit on him, flog him with a whip, and kill him, but after three days he will rise again.”

Mark 15:19-20They struck him on the head with a reed stick, spit on him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship. When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.

Luke 22:47-48Even as Jesus said this, a crowd approached, led by Judas, one of the twelve disciples. Judas walked over to Jesus to greet him with a kiss. But Jesus said, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”

Luke 22:59-61“This must be one of them, because he is a Galilean, too.” But Peter said, “Man, I don’t know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

John 1:10-11He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.

Hebrews 4:15This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.

Jesus experienced exclusion and rejection at the highest level. His family thought he was crazy. His closest followers betrayed and abandoned him. Humanity met his love, kindness, and truth with lies, torture, and murder. Yet he remained faithful to God’s plan. We can be inspired by his example, but more than that, we can be comforted that our Lord knows the pain of what we go through and he walks with us every step of the way (Matthew 28:20).