How do you feel when others disgrace you? How do you feel when you are humiliated by others? What if they despise you? What is you are ostracized? Do you continue to have faith in the One who has redeemed you? Do you continue to set your face toward obedience?
Being humiliated, disgraced, despised, and ostracized by others can be debilitating. We may want to find a cave to hole up in. We may want to disappear. We may do our best to avoid contact with others. Yet, there is no need to feel this way if we are obeying God.
In Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the Messiah, he states that despite being physically struck, slapped, insulted, and spit on, the Messiah is not disgraced. In fact, He sets his face like flint, proceeding toward His mission despite all of that. Why? He knows that He will not be put to shame. He will be vindicated. He will be glorified. His glory will be on display for all to see.
When we are humiliated, despised, or ostracized by others for our faith and we feel disgraced, we can be confident that God has our back. He will not allow us to be shamed for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. We will be vindicated. We will share in His glory. Because of that, we should continue to move forward with confidence. We should set our face toward the mission God has given each one of us, knowing Jesus is with every step of the way.
I pray we all know that Jesus was despised, yet vindicated. I pray we recognize Jesus’s glory. I pray each one of us believe we will share in Jesus’ glory and continue pursuing the mission God has set for us. Jesus was despised. Jesus was vindicated. Jesus is in His glory. You will share in Jesus’ glory. Continue pursuing God’s mission.
Isaiah 50:7-8a
The Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
he who vindicates me is near.
Marty Pressey 