Cornerstones
Why is it that we tend to reject what God sends to us?
Rid yourselves, therefore, of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in scripture: “See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the very head of the corner,” and “A stone that makes them stumble, and a rock that makes them fall.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. - 1 Peter 2:1-10
When it comes to rejecting God's gift, Peter has first hand experience.
He was the first to recognize Jesus as the Messiah, and yet when the time came to admit his faith, he denied it, telling people he did not know Jesus.
So, Peter warns us to be aware of God's presence in our lives, to see Christ as the cornerstone of our faith, or we will find ourselves tripping and falling when we encounter God.
What if our encounters with God are more frequent than we are led to believe? What if He is with us all the time and our lack of faith keeps us from recognizing Him?
Peter tells us to let ourselves be built up into a spiritual house so that we will be the light that shines in the world. We can be the example of God that Jesus taught his disciples to be.
And if we do that, the cornerstone will grow into a solid foundation on which no one will stumble.
It is something to consider. For those who don't know Jesus, but know us, we can be the path to follow.
We can show everyone that God is present and active in this world through us.
No one should feel rejected, for God accepts and loves everyone. Therefore, no one should reject God, and if they don't know God except through us, then we are being the light in the darkness.
What better way to show our faith than to shine?
More to come...