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General Electric |
Owen then tries to tell his parents the big news. Dad then, bequeaths unto Owen his grandfather's beloved sledge hammer in honor of his Development job at GE. When he refuses to accept it, his dad mocks him stating, "You can't pick it up, can you?" His mom patronizes him with, "It's okay, you're gonna change the world." They too misunderstood and their enthusiasm was uninspiring as well.
Finally, Owen tries to share the big news with his friends and they seemed to be more impressed with their stupid friend's cell phone app that transform cats into fruit. They also misunderstood and their enthusiasm was uninspiring.
Poor Owen, he can't get no... no, no, no satisfaction (Rolling Stones). This open door is the most exciting thing that's ever happened to Owen. He knows this is what he was created to do, but he seems to be the only one excited about it... and the only one who gets it. He keeps asking them, "Do you know what GE is?"
Years ago, when I first realized God's calling on my life, the Lord said to me, "Not everybody will accept you. Not everybody will understand you. Not everybody will be excited about your dreams and visions. Not everybody will believe in you and you will have to learn how to live with that. Shake it off and go on. Shake it off. If you and I are the only ones that believe in you, that's enough to get the job done."
Rejection is not easy, especially when it comes from those closest to us. But other people's stupidity is not our responsibility. We must learn to shake it off.
I delivered a sermon at church one time and one of the ministers, that I care about and highly regard, came to me after church and said, "Sister, you missed it." He did not agree with my teaching and doctrine. I went back home and I asked the Lord to show me where I missed it. I started over from verse one and studied the subject in depth a second time. At the end of the study, I received the very same revelation that I had received the first time. I said to myself, "They'll catch up and get it later."
Jesus said to His disciples in Luke 10:16 "He who hears you, hears Me, he who rejects you, rejects Me, and he who rejects Me, rejects Him who sent Me.”
When Joseph told his brothers about his dreams, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. Eventually, they wanted to kill him and ended up selling him into slavery. But all of this was God's providence at work on Joseph's behalf. At long last, his dreams did come to pass.
I'm also reminded of the story of Jesus, when His ministry began to expand and He went back to visit his hometown of Nazareth. He began teaching in the synagogue but many who heard Him said, "Ain't that Mary and Joseph's child, the carpenter? From where did he get all this wisdom and power to perform miracles? Who does he think he is?" They scoffed at Him and were deeply offended and refused to believe in Him. Jesus told His disciples, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family."
John the Baptist moved out into the wilderness, perhaps to remove himself from those familiar to him that did not understand his calling.
I told the Lord a few years ago that I felt like I was always sticking out like a sore thumb. I was trying to blend in, but was always sticking out. He replied, "That is because you are designed to stick out." A city that sits on a hill cannot be hidden.
God told Abram, "Get out of your country from your family and from your father's house to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing."
If I could finish Owen's story, I'll bet he joined GE and became a superstar Developer... achieving more success than he ever thought possible. But certainly not because those close to him thought he Could, but because he knew within himself that he Would, despite their misunderstanding.
The apostle Paul said, "If God is for us, who can be against us? We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us and gave Himself for us."
This is not a teaching on abandoning one's self from their loved ones, but it is an encouragement to guard your mind from those that would turn your heart against God's will, no matter how close they are to you. Even Owen's own parents didn't understand what he was called to do and tried to give him unnecessary tools for the work he was to undertake.
Maya Angelou got a revelation one day. She said, “There was a possibility that God really did love me... me, Maya Angelou. I suddenly began to cry at the gravity and grandeur of it all. I knew that if God loved me, then I could do wonderful things, I could try great things, learn anything, achieve anything. For what could stand against me, since one person, with God, constitutes the majority?” After this, she went on to achieve great things and became very successful.
The psalmist David said, "For by my God I can run against a troop and leap over a wall." He went on to kill a lion and a bear and a giant named Goliath.
Jeremiah's ministry was very unpopular and had many haters, even his close acquaintances mocked him and wanted to take their revenge on him. But Jeremiah said, "The Lord is with me as a mighty, awesome One. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail and will not prosper."
Blessed are you when men mock and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are a follower of Jesus. For some reason, God may instruct you to do something and He does not include others in on it, so that their understanding is darkened because they are unaware that you are operating in God's will. It does not make sense to the human mind. By this, God is building our faith to trust Him in the hard places.
The people in Jesus' hometown did not believe in Him but the anointing was upon Him still, and He went on to do great things outside of Nazareth. He saved the world from sin. Those that accept Him also have the power of the Holy Spirit in them, Who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we dare to ask or think, infinitely above our highest desires, thoughts prayers, hopes or dreams.
Go on and do great exploits, for this IS the will of God for you.