It’s Not Their Fault
Luke 9:53
“And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.”
Have you ever tried to talk to someone who doesn’t really seem to be interested in your conversation? Every once in awhile I’ll be with someone who doesn’t know how to let their voicemail take their phone calls. If that person continually takes calls while I’m trying to talk to them, or if they continually text people, I normally just end the conversation and go on. The reason I go on is because I don’t feel that they are really interested in talking to me.
In the verse above, Jesus entered a village of Samaritans who did not receive Him. The disciples were so loyal to Christ that they wanted Him to call fire from Heaven and destroy them. Jesus understood why these people didn’t receive Him. While He was in the village, He was on a mission to get to Jerusalem. His time to pay for the sins of mankind was near, and He couldn’t miss that time. The people of the city could read that Jesus was passing through and was on a mission to get to Jerusalem, and this caused them not to receive His presence. You will notice that Jesus did not preach or teach. He was simply passing through the city. Jesus did not do anything to these people because He knew it was not their fault that they did not receive Him.
I fear too often we are all guilty of condemning people for not receiving us, when in reality it is truly our own fault. People are more perceptive than what most give them credit. People know when you want to be there, and when you don’t want to be there. They know when you want to talk to them, and they know when you don’t want to talk to them. They know when your are interested in them, and they know when you’re not interested in them. How they receive what you are trying to give them really depends upon whether you are truly interested in them.
Every parent needs to be careful not to seem disinterested in their child. Many parents can’t figure out why their children won’t listen to them, when if they saw how halfheartedly they listened to what their children are saying, they would understand why their children don’t talk to them anymore. Children are perceptive, and they know when their parents are truly interested in them. Children will try several times to get their parent’s attention, but if they don’t succeed, they will stop listening to their parents. Parents, don’t blame your children if you are not giving them your undivided attention.
Church ministry workers must be careful that they don’t get so busy in other things that they seem disinterested in those they are supposed to help. I have watched many pastors hibernate in their offices to the point that their people stop responding to them. Ministry workers have lost many people because they didn’t show interest in them. Often, we want to blame the person who backslid or left, when truly it was our own fault.
Let me encourage you to not seem disinterested in those with whom you are talking or helping. Whenever God allows someone to cross your path whom you can help, give them your undivided attention. The next time someone doesn’t receive you, instead of blaming them, look at your own actions and determine if it could be your fault. Most of the time if you will give your undivided attention to someone, they will receive you and your message.