“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

A friend’s child didn’t get the summer job that was expected. It was the first time in a short life that a rejection that couldn’t be changed happened.  Shock and awe, along with lots of questioning ensued. I was not surprised as we have a generation plus now who don’t know what it means to not play on the team or to not be able to do things over until they reach satisfaction.  It seems that now, everyone, regardless if the team wins or loses, gets to get out on the field or court and play.  In videogames we let you start over and over and nothing really ended, or died…until now.  Games are making the turn to what is called “Permadeath”.  That means that once the character or figure dies, they don’t come back.  I remember this being experimented with in the late 90’s only to receive outrage from customers who claimed that they had the right to bring the character back over and over. Who is to know what is best, but I don’t see that much harm in teaching the next generation that loss and rejection are real and that we need to learn the lesson early, not wait until employers and business have to be the first to hand out the word, “no”.

As believers we are no different than the rest of the world in experiencing loss, rejection and denial.  But, we can rest assured that in all that is lost, that there is much to be found in the belief and following of Jesus. What happens to us today will come and go, but in Christ is there is no “permadeath”, there is “permalife”!  We are promised that!  So, don’t allow the rejections of life to be major setbacks.  They are only speed bumps along the way.  The final great and real reward remains in waiting for us.

Reference: John 3:16 (New Living Translation)