"Fear of rejection" is a very common reason why people hesitate to venture into a new relationship, to apply for a new job, to submit a new proposal. We could not stand the pain of being rejected, especially if it will be for the nth time.
Jesus was not spared that feeling of being rejected. It must have been doubly painful because it was his own people who did not accept him. Instead of being proud of the good works he was doing, they looked down on him as a carpenter's son, as someone too familiar to them to be able to do such marvelous works.
But the Gospel does not report Jesus sulking in one corner and wallowing in His pain. Surely he must have been pained and must have dealt with it in prayer when he would retreat to a quiet place. But He did not allow the rejection of people to get in the way of His mission.
May we find in Christ the strength to move on after being rejected, even by people most dear to us.
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