Not Glee and gratitude but rejection and resentment

Ezekiel 2:1–7 ““Stand up, son of man,” said the voice. “I want to speak with you.” The Spirit came into me as he spoke, and he set me on my feet. I listened carefully to his words. “Son of man,” he said, “I am sending you to the nation of Israel, a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me. They and their ancestors have been rebelling against me to this very day. They are a stubborn and hard-hearted people. But I am sending you to say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says!’ And whether they listen or refuse to listen—for remember, they are rebels—at least they will know they have had a prophet among them. “Son of man, do not fear them or their words. Don’t be afraid even though their threats surround you like nettles and briers and stinging scorpions. Do not be dismayed by their dark scowls, even though they are rebels. You must give them my messages whether they listen or not. But they won’t listen, for they are completely rebellious!”

For the next month, we will be talking about ministry. Serving God and other people. Especially with the gospel—the good news about Jesus’ love and forgiveness. What results should we expect when we do ministry in Jesus’ name?

We all expect to see positive results for our efforts. When we lift weights. We expect to gain muscle. If we study hard for a physics exam, we’re disappointed to get a D. Hard work at our job should mean an eventual pay raise, right?

When our efforts involve serving other people, can we expect positive results from them? Not always. The fact is you can’t control another person’s thoughts, behaviors, beliefs, or feelings. The prophet Ezekiel got a lesson in this truth from God. God was sending him to His people, the Israelites. You couldn’t blame Ezekiel for expecting God’s people to express glee and gratitude after hearing from their God.

But Ezekiel couldn’t control how the Israelites would respond. In fact, God told him to expect rejection and resentment. Ouch! God also warned Ezekiel he might become afraid after hearing the Israelite’s threats and insults. Ezekiel would feel like he’s surrounded by thorny ground while scorpions chase after him. I wouldn’t call those positive results from other people!

Maybe you’ve experienced something similar. You’ve tried to tell someone about Jesus and they weren’t impressed. You took a leap of faith and spoke to a friend about how their current lifestyle wasn’t bringing God glory. And you got verbally blasted. It hurts like thorns. It stings like a scorpion. No one likes rejection and resentment. If we put our hope in other people’s approval and acceptance, we will constantly be disappointed.

So, what can you expect when you serve others, especially by pointing them to God’s words and promises? Go back to verse 5: And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them. You can expect the best result of all. People hear from God. The same God who sent his Son to face the ultimate rejection in your place. And God is pleased. He is glorified. And you get to be a part of that! If we make our goal to please an audience of One (Jesus), we can’t go wrong, and we won’t be disappointed.