Not You, But Me

Rejection is unpleasant. It hurts and often leaves a lot
of unanswered questions. All of us have had to deal with
it at one time or another. When spreading the Gospel we
must realize that we will face rejection. Sometimes it is
outright hatred of the Gospel that causes people to reject
it, other times it is apathy. We feel bad and often question
whether we said the right thing or whether there was
something else we could have done to help them to obey.

When Samuel was judge over Israel, they cried to him for
a King (1 Samuel 8:5). They used the excuse that Samuel
was old and that his sons were not upright. When God
spoke to Samuel, God said: "... they have not rejected
thee, but they have rejected me..." (1 Samuel 8:7)

People use many excuses for why they will not obey the
Gospel and some of those excuses are pointed at us.
But in the end, when people reject the Gospel, they
reject God. The people of Israel may have been pointing
at Samuel, and others may be pointing at us today,
but in reality they are pointing at God. [JW]

"Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a Truth I
perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But
in every nations he that feareth him, and worketh
righteousness, is accepted with him." (Acts 10:34.35)