Rejection

Has following Jesus ever left you feeling like an outcast from your friends, family, or those you interact with in your community? There are times when being a follower of Jesus can cause discomfort for your beliefs and put you at odds with those around you. But there are times when publicly following Jesus so deeply offends people that it completely severs your relationship with them. For Mohammed—a Fulani herdsmen in Africa—following Jesus cost him his relationship with his family. Mohammed’s family were devout Muslims who disapproved of any family member practicing a faith other than Islam. So when he attended a church service as a teenager, he was kicked out of his home and was not allowed to return, even after becoming extremely unwell years later. To complicate matters further, after completing Bible school, Mohammed found that his Fulani background also prevented him from finding acceptance in Christian community. Mohammed says, “I wasn’t accepted by Christians or Muslims and if it wasn’t for the love I have for Jesus, I would never have stayed a Christian” (“Rejected by His Family but Found in Christ,” Voice of the Martyrs, June 25, 2019, https://vom.com.au/rejected-by-his-family-but-found-in-christ/).