Rejected!

My date with destiny had finally come!  I rushed downstairs to open it as soon as my mom handed it to me.  All my dreams and fantasies of becoming a prestigious and exemplary doctor began flashing through my head.  I quickly glanced at the front of the envelope to see the two words I knew would be the key to achieving my dream:  Washington University.

Washington University is probably the most prestigious college in Missouri.  It has a very strong reputation as being almost like “the Harvard of the Midwest” and is extremely difficult to get into.  Thus, it quickly became the college I longed to attend to ensure my dreams would come true!

After glancing over the front of the envelope, I took one deep breath and finally began opening it.  This was it…was I going to become that prestigious doctor who’d undoubtedly be admired by all and have tons of money?  Or was I going to be at a normal college, getting a normal degree, and begin slowly collapsing in on myself through an overwhelming amount of “normalness”?

I quickly skimmed over the formalities of the letter (the greeting, the small talk, etc.) to find the one piece of information that actually mattered.  It didn’t take me long to find it…

Mr. Hammond, we regret to inform you that we are not able to accept you into Washington University for the 2005-2006 school year.  We wish you the best of luck in all of your future endeavors.

My mouth went agape as I absorbed this information.  My first feelings were that of denial…

There must be some mistake!  They must have sent me the wrong letter!  Surely they didn’t just reject me–I’m Brady Hammond!  The great and the powerful!

After looking over the letter multiple times, there was no doubt about it.  My name was clearly printed throughout the document!  It was official…I just got REJECTED!

My second round of feelings was that of anger and resentment…

Who do they think they are?  Don’t they know who they just rejected?  Who could possibly be better?  I’m Brady Hammond!  The great and the powerful!

After realizing that rejecting me would have no negative effect on them whatsoever (I was just one rejection letter among thousands), I finally began to feel embarrassed and humbled…

Maybe I’m not so great after all.  Maybe there are people out there who are actually smarter, more talented, and more desirable than me.  Maybe I’m simply just Brady Hammond–the normal and the powerless…

All of us have gone through some sort of rejection in our lives at some time or another, and one thing is for sure:  it stinks!  To think that you are not wanted is extremely humbling and painful–even if there was nothing truly “wrong” about the situation at all (such as WashU rejecting me).

I didn’t deserve to get into WashU.  My grades weren’t impressive enough, the classes I took in high school weren’t hard enough, and I didn’t write well enough on my essays to merit a spot in such a prestigious institution.

Keeping that in mind, how much more must it hurt God to be rejected by His people?  When we turn our backs and choose the world over Him?  When we ignore His call and choose less fulfilling idols?

Jesus experienced rejection like no one has ever experienced.  Because unlike us, He is worthy!

He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.  Like one from who people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.–Isaiah 53: 3

Thankfully, God doesn’t treat us like we deserve.  He accepts us when we deserve His rejection.

So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.   For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.–Luke 11: 9-12

Our grades aren’t good enough, we have failed the tests, and we aren’t worthy of Him.  Yet God doesn’t send rejection letters to anyone who longs for His Kingdom.  My prayer is that you consider “applying” as soon as possible!  Your acceptance letter awaits you…

-BH