Learning How to Shake Off Rejection
"And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” — Mark 6:11
Feeling rejected or unwanted is difficult and painful, but it happens to all of us at times. As part of the human race, we have to realize that not everyone is going to like or accept us. When others reject us, we have a choice to make: We can let it hurt our feelings and make us feel bad about ourselves, or we can shake it off and not allow it to bother us. Knowing that His disciples wouldn’t be welcome everywhere, Jesus prepared them in advance to deal with the rejection they would face. In today’s language, He would say, “Shake it off.” He didn’t want them to let rejection upset them, but to forget about it and keep moving forward. The advice Jesus gave to His disciples is exactly the advice we need to follow in today’s world. We can do that because we are secure in God’s unconditional love and acceptance. When an insect lands on our arm, we simply shake it off. We don’t keep thinking about it for days and weeks. The next time someone rejects you, just shake it off.
