Half the Battle Exemplo

Day 2—The Seed of Rejection

There have been many plagues throughout history, but one of the deadliest was the Bubonic Plague. This global epidemic was responsible for the deaths of more than 20 million people. For those who got the Bubonic Plague, a simple bite from a flea or a breath of polluted air was all it took to become infected. Symptoms often took up to a week to appear, so infected individuals unknowingly spread the disease to others in the meantime. 

Rejection works in a very similar way. Many times, it begins as the simple bite of a spouse’s momentary failure to meet our physical or emotional needs. Or the inhalation of toxic, hateful words spewed by a loved one in a heated moment. Even if we recognize the pain, we try to blow it off and tell ourselves, “No big deal. I will just move on and forget it ever happened.” Meanwhile, the seed of rejection is planted in our hearts. Over time it begins to bear the fruit of anger, fear, insecurity, and bitterness.

Jacob and Esau were the two sons of Isaac. Esau was the firstborn son, and as such, he was entitled to a double portion of the family inheritance. However, in a moment of weakness, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of soup (Genesis 25:29–34). Then in Genesis 27, Jacob tricked their father into giving him Esau’s blessing. Verse 28 says, “Esau pleaded, ‘But do you have only one blessing? Oh my father, bless me, too!’ Then Esau broke down and wept.”

That was the moment when the seed of rejection was planted in Esau’s heart, and it quickly produced the rotten fruit of hate and anger. Esau began plotting to kill Jacob, so the younger brother ran away to live with their uncle. 

Years later, Jacob returned home to face the brother he had cheated. What could have been an explosive reunion was actually a moment of reconciliation and forgiveness—“Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept” (Genesis 33:4).

What caused such a change in Esau’s heart? Scripture does not tell us about his journey while Jacob was away, but I believe Esau allowed God to perform spiritual heart surgery. Yes, he had experienced the pain of rejection, but by choosing to forgive his brother, he found freedom and peace.  

Even when our rejection causes us pain and produces bad fruit, we serve a God who redeems and restores. 

Has the seed of rejection produced bad fruit in your life?