Jump Start # 3599

Matthew 7:21 “Not every one who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in Heaven.”

There is a small post office in the community I live. It seems like I’m stopping by there nearly everyday. I’ve gotten to know the staff on a first name basis and they know me. This little post office is currently in search for a new postmaster. One of the people that waits on the counter applied. She really wanted the position and she has often run that post office. The other day, she told me that she was turned down for the position. She was really disappointed.

Life can be described just that way for many, disappointing. A young man really likes a girl and he asks her out for a date and she says, “no.” He’s disappointed. A college student applies for a scholarship and is denied. Disappointed. A young couple really want to have a baby, but it doesn’t work out. Disappointed. The government can disappoint us. The company you work for can disappoint you. Sadly, sometimes the congregation you are a part of disappoints you.

There were times when Jesus disappointed people. The rich young ruler walked away sadly because Jesus told him to sell what he had and follow Him. It’s not the words he was wanting to hear. The mother of James and John got disappointing news from Jesus when He would not sit her boys on the right and the left as she wanted. When Jesus no longer fed the crowds, some left disappointed. The Pharisees were disappointed when Jesus wouldn’t answer their trick questions the way they thought He would.

We can learn more about ourselves and our character during the disappoints than we do from the successes.

First, life involves so many factors, circles of people and things that are beyond us. We are not the only one. When someone is chosen over us, it disappoints. Sometimes that other person has more experience. Sometimes they are more qualified. And, sometimes, it’s just the politics of life that leans towards favorites. The farmer prays for rain for his crops, the same time a young family prays for sunshine because they want to go to the park. God answers. Often, one will be disappointed.

Second, how we handle disappoints is important. Some, blow up. They get angry. They start saying things they shouldn’t. They make threats. The make things messy, complicated and difficult for others. And, when that happens in the church, it really sets families back for a long time.

I told my friend at the post office to take the higher ground. Be noble in how you handle rejection. The quality of spirit is manifested the most during times of disappointments.

Third, often what we really wanted, wasn’t the best for us. We thought it was. Our Plan A is many times not God’s Plan A. And, it just may be that our character needs some polishing and refining and the mechanism that does that the best is disappointments. Anger, James reminds us, does not achieve the righteousness of God. Being a gracious loser, whether on the field of sports or in the arena of life, does more to open eyes and shine light than holding the trophy high above your head.

At Paul’s first Roman trial all deserted him. He was alone, but for the Lord. Don’t you think he was disappointed? Where were they? He had been there for them, why were they not now there for him? It is easy to become a disappointer when we have been disappointed. Someone lets you down, so you no longer will stand with them. You put distance between them and even speak terribly about them. Don’t do that. That dulls your influence and makes people wonder about you

I think one of the greatest disappointments in the Bible is our verse today. Here are some who thought they had made it. They thought the Lord would be pleased with them. Busy doing things, they had neglected to follow the will of God. In so doing, Jesus declared that He never knew them. They were to be cast out. They didn’t make it.

I wonder how many will be like this on that final day. They believe they are Heaven bound, only to be shocked, disappointed to find out that their choices in life took them away from God and not towards Him.

The divine disappointment…make sure you are not part of that.

Roger