And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.”

1 Samuel 8:7 (NIV)

When we tell people about Jesus, invite them to church, and endeavor to include them as we share the joys of what God has done in our lives, these attempts may fall flat. Then, if someone accepts an invitation and goes to church, we hope they will be saved. When they aren’t, we are disappointed. If, when we invite someone, they criticize the service or anything else, we might be inclined to step in and make excuses. I remember a time when someone I asked came. I was so thankful, and when we got to church, we had a guest pastor who had been called in at the last minute to preach.

About three-quarters through the service, my guest got up and went outside. Although they said it was to stretch their legs, they later told me they didn’t like something the pastor was talking about. I remember making excuses about the pastor being a guest pastor and that my pastor was “better.”

As I read 1 Samuel 8:7 today, the Lord reminded me that it’s not us people reject when they don’t want to go to church or hear about Jesus. They are rejecting God. Indeed, Jesus gave his disciples this insight in John.

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.”

John 15:18 (NIV)

Therefore, we must remember that we’re not the ones being rejected. We can put everything we have into telling people about Jesus, but it’s not on us if they don’t listen.

What do we do then? Well, there are many ways to tell people about the Lord. One way is to show them who Jesus is by how you live your life and always point to the Lord in everything you do. Whatever we do, we mustn’t give up on the Lord. God will do what he needs to do, and he’ll do it when it needs to be done. We just have to stay faithful and trust God.

Do you know God? God knows you, and he loves you. He sees you as significant because you are. No one is insignificant to Him. He’s with you today, and he wants you to know him. Jesus died for your sins and mine so we could be free of guilt, freed from death, and live eternally with him. Eternal salvation is just a prayer away.

Pray this prayer with me to accept the gift of salvation:

Lord Jesus, forgive me for all my sins. I repent from my ways. Wash me in your blood and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I believe you died on the cross and were buried, and God the Father raised you from the dead on the third day. Right now, Lord Jesus, I open the door to my heart and receive you into my heart as my Lord and personal Savior. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, then congratulations! You are on the first step of a brand new life. Allow me to be the first to welcome you to my family, the family of God. There are abundant resources available online for new Christians. You can visit here for more information on what to do next. You can also leave me a comment, and I’ll do my best to help you on the next step of this incredible journey.