CHANGE THE WRONG CIRCLE

Its important to know your circle and ensure that you have an established harmonious relationship with them. When you have the right hand of fellowship or association with a group of people or circle of friends, it is a sign of a welcome into that circle. It signifies a welcoming attitude in our association with others. When you are with the right circle or company, you'll experience a consistent, respectful and pleasing agreement with people in that circle.

Reference: John 1:11 New Living Translation (NLT) 'He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.'

Our Lord Jesus came to His own people, but his own people did not receive Him. In other words, He experienced their rejection. Even though He came to all of the people of the world, as a Saviour, He still had his human life, which means that He came specifically to a particular people - the people of Israel. Moreover when He experienced rejection, He moved on and changed the wrong company. Instead of staying with the wrong group of people or clique and condoning their attitude, Jesus moved to where people gladly received Him.

At one point, Jesus faced hometown rejection. Mark 12:10 (NASB) spoke about the cornerstone which the builders rejected. Psalm 118:22 (NKJV) also spoke about Jesus - The stone which the builders rejected that has become the chief cornerstone. In 1 Peter 2:7 (NIV), the Bible says, 'Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone". Beloved you are too precious to keep tolerating rejection. In other words, change the wrong circle. Don't sit around the wrong people, hoping they would change and accept you. Even Jesus once told His disciples in Matthew 10:14 (NASB), saying, 'Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.'

I understand that there are people who are habitually sensitive to rejection and so they attract rejection. They are individuals with high rejection sensitivity readily looking for signs that they’re about to be rejected due to the wrong mindset they've formed overtime. This behaviour is quite different from what I'm talking about. I'm talking about placing value on yourself and holding yourself in high regard, when it comes to your association with people because the right association never leaves you neutral, it has a reflection on your destiny.

Furthermore, when it comes to the opinions of those we place high value on, teach them how to value you and live by how much you value yourself. When your circle realises you hold yourself in high regard, they deal with you accordingly. If you never reveal a boundary, a preference or demonstrate your values in terms of how others interact with you, they'll assume you have none and so, they'll behave towards you in that manner. When Jesus was rejected, He never responded in a manner that encouraged repeated rejection. For instance, according to Luke 9:51-56, Jesus entered a Samaritan village and he was not welcomed. His disciples wanted to call down fire from heaven on the village but Jesus rebuked them and they continued on to another village. In other words, He didn't stay where He was rejected or just tolerated; He went to where He was celebrated.

The first step to dealing with rejection is to keep in mind that you always have God's approval. The second step is to keep God's opinion of you in your mind at all time. God's opinion is revealed in the Scriptures. One of them says, 'God has loved you with an everlasting love; He has drawn you with unfailing kindness' (Jeremiah 31:3). Another one says that you're God's most prized possession (James 1:8 NLT). In other words, you have God's full acceptance. The third step is to walk away from people who undermine your values and purpose and locate or be around people who recognise and receive your person, value your worth and identify with your purpose.

Scripture Reading - Psalm 26:4; Proverbs 18:24; Amos 3:3; 1 Peter 2:4.

Exuberant Declaration: I have the right mindset and I walk with people of like mind, who sustain courageous depth of integrity. I receive honour, love and respect as a result of the right associations. I refuse to accommodate the wrong circle; therefore I'm exempt from rejection and I live worthy of God's love for me, being highly engulfed in His passionate embrace. I'm forever precious and honoured in God's sight and I attract the right people with the right values and influence at all times. Praise God!