DISMISSED
by Christine Wyrtzen
Take away from me scorn and contempt, for I have kept your testimonies. Psalm 119:22
When I am taunted and despised, the shame that was inflicted invites me to own it, to wear it like it belongs to me. The only One who can remove the ill-fitted overcoat is God.
To hold one in contempt, in the Greek, is to dismiss that person as if they had little value. It’s hard to speak up in a family if you perceive that whatever you offer will be dismissed by a casual wave of the hand. It’s difficult to offer suggestions in a meeting when you know that whatever you say will be the topic of ridicule. Does that mean that I shouldn’t speak?
The hard answer to that is “no”. I should speak when God prompts me to speak. It’s true that when I offer a kingdom principle to a group that considers God’s ways to be foolish, I invite rejection. Yet, that didn’t stop Jesus. Every time I use my mouth the way He used His, I set myself up for the same controversy, the same taunts, and the same rejection.
The real issue is ~ where do I go to heal? Perhaps already today you’ve been the object of scorn. You’ve put on the familiar overcoat of shame. It’s grey, drab, and hangs off your shoulders like a fifty pound weight. Who understands? The one who has already walked this road of rejection. Because Jesus prompted you to speak, He will speak to the hurts that you suffered because of it.
When all is said and done at the end of the day, I lay my head down on the pillow and talk with Jesus about my day. He sees where I’m bleeding and speaks truth to the places where I’m about to nurture dead end lies. In the stillness, the soothing sound of His voice invites me to cast off the shame and stand in the warmth of His light. Daily, I am healed.
Lord, Your Word mends all frayed edges. Thank you. Amen
Originally published Tuesday, 03 July 2018.
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