1 Samuel 10:27 – But some rebels said, "How can this man save us?" So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.
Have you ever been through an experience where the Lord has called you to do a certain task and you are all prepared to do it, but certain people try and put a spanner in the works? They reject you and say that you're useless and are not going to make it, because you're 'not qualified'. If you have ever been in this position (and I think most of you have been) then you're not unique!
I have come to realize as I've been in ministry, that people will always reject you! You will get plenty of people who will back you and say that you are doing a great job, but you'll always get the odd person who will mock you, despise what the Lord is doing in you, and will not accept you. A lot of the time it's because they are insanely jealous, because they would love to do what you are doing, but it's not what the Lord has called them to do.
Think for a moment about the life of Jesus when He was ministering on the earth. There were the crowds who loved Him, and flocked after Him to hear Him minister and see Him do His miracles. But at the same time, the Scribes and Pharisees continually mocked Him and took great pleasure in trying to find fault with Him. They knew their life didn't measure up and they saw His righteousness, so they pointed their fingers at Him and tried to do damage with their tongues to justify their sinful actions. Jesus ignored their negativeness most of the time and didn't justify Himself, but when the time was right He put them in their place in a way that they couldn't argue about. He did it so well that they didn't dare ask Him any more questions to try and trap Him and make Him look like a fool.
Paul was another one who had the same problems in abundance. He was also loved and followed closely by those who enjoyed his ministry. But he shares in one of his epistles, how as soon as trouble and conflict came, everyone left him and deserted him. There were only a few people then who stood with him and helped him. However, it didn't faze him or stop him from continuing with what the Lord wanted him to do. He pushed through nonetheless.
So, what am I trying to convey to you here? Simply this: If you are called to do something by the Lord, don't worry about people who try and put you down and say you're not qualified. Hold your peace and do not try and justify yourself, unless the Lord gives you the opportunity and leads you specifically to come against them. He loves to use what others think of as the 'weak and foolish things, to confound the wise'.
You can be sure, if He's called you to do something, He has given you the capability to do it. You see, it is not natural ability that He uses, but it's spiritual ability, and the Lord is able to impart any gift to any person to use for His glory. All you need to do is be that channel to receive from Him, then follow it through, regardless of what others say. Your aim should be to bring glory to the Lord and do what He wants you to do, not what people want you to do or say.
So, be encouraged today. Don't let people tell you that you are useless and can't do what the Lord has told you to do. Don't let them make you feel inadequate and want to give up your calling. Send their negative words back at them, lift your head up high, and continue with the task you are doing. Sooner or later they'll have to take the consequences of their words as they see the victory you've had in that calling, and they too will keep quiet and be ashamed.
