Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight. — 1 Peter 2:4.
Peter’s reference to Christ as a stone is similar to when Jesus asks, “Have you never read in the Scriptures, ‘the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.'” (Matthew 21:42.) Many of Jesus’ parables or analogies are hard to understand, but this one is relatively clear. From the days of David and the prophets, it was foretold that the stone the people rejected would become the foundation of our faith.
If you live long enough, you will experience rejection in some form. A first love may leave you for another, you might fail to make the team or be relegated to the bench, or a first marriage, first job, or business venture might not work out. Rejection is as much a part of life as life itself. However, the world is also full of stories where initial rejections ultimately lead to huge success and glory.
There is, however, one powerful exception to the universal rule of rejection: God’s unwavering acceptance. He sees in each person something profoundly precious, reflecting the inherent worth that was also present in the rejected stone (Christ). While the world may cast you aside—making you feel like a discarded object—your ultimate identity is rooted in the Cornerstone who was rejected first. The ultimate question, then, is not about the rejections you suffer, but about the foundation upon which you choose to build your life and the commitment you offer to become one of the “living stones” in His enduring spiritual structure.
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