Despised or Blessed?

“I am small and despised, yet I do not forget Your precepts.” Psalms 119:141

I know what you are thinking… Yup, I’m still in Psalms 119. I have tried to sit down to write a few times this week but it felt forced; and I don’t do well if it isn’t coming ‘naturally.’ That is why if it’s not coming out the way I pictured then I don’t keep going with it. I pray, I read more of God’s Words. Then, when His timing is right, He places it on my heart. I love when this happens, because the words just tumble right out onto the paper or the keyboard. God truly is so good and so amazing, y’all! So let’s dive back into Psalms 119 again, shall we?

I had an immediate reaction to this verse the moment I read it. I had to reread it three times. Then I made this note in my Bible app: 

As a Christian in this sin filled world, it is easy to feel small and despised. By many counts we are small, and there are many people who despise us. Yet it is all the more important that we remember God’s Word and His Laws, and follow Him. He is bigger than any person who might despise us - and He is always with us.

There are so many ways we can feel small. We can feel physically small (like if we’re 5’2” on a good day and we literally look up to most people we know…it’s me, I’m always looking up). We can feel emotionally small - maybe we inadvertently left someone we care about out of our plans by a true mistake. We can feel spiritually small when we don’t spend enough time in God’s Word and in prayer. There is a song I like that has an encouraging line that’s appropriate here, “my God is so big, and so strong, and so might, there’s nothing my God cannot do!” If we are feeling small, in any way, we need to turn to our big God and ask Him to help us see the good - and to remind us that He has got us…to Him, our loving Father who sacrificed His only Son to save us, we are not small. We are His and we are so important to Him!

There is no getting around being despised. Sometimes we will be despised for doing the right thing. Sometimes we will be despised because of who we are, or Whose we are. Sometimes we might be despised because of the way we look. Sadly, being despised is part of life, and I know that doesn’t sound encouraging at all… But!!! Do you know who else was despised? Even by the so called faithful people of God? Our Savior, Jesus was despised. Probably more than we can imagine, probably more than we will fully know. In Luke 21:17 Jesus warns us that we will be hated by all for His name’s sake. The next verse He reassures us that not a hair on our heads shall be lost. And in Matthew 28:20 Jesus promises to always be with us. What’s the saying? There is strength in numbers? Jesus and His heavenly army outnumber any enemies that might despise you.

Friends, if David could remember the Lord’s precepts, His Commandments, in the midst of running for his life, I think we can remember them in our daily lives too. In fact, I’m fully convinced that the more we remember God’s commandments, and work towards keeping them, the closer we will draw to Him. Like we talked about a few days ago, we need to hide God’s Word in our hearts. So if we feel small, despised, or otherwise alone in this sin crazy world, we needn’t look farther than the Good Book. God more than just bring you through it, He will lift you up. His hope will bring you joy when the world wanted you to feel despair. How truly blessed are we?!