Outcast

Have you ever walked in a house with quite a few people around, most of which are talking and having a good time, but then one person catches your eye. That one person is sitting all by himself, no one will talk to him, most people are talking about him, and you are thinking, So what's wrong with him? It seems as though everyone were avoiding him like the plague. "I have been ignored as if I were dead, as if I were a broken pot." Psalm 31:12. I've been that person before, and I have seen that person sitting there. For some reason that person has become an outcast, the others around are ignoring him, and I know firsthand that outcast is hurting within.
Can you imagine being that person, can you imagine being an outcast? Maybe you are one! By chance you have friends or family that act like they don't know you, or act like they are to good to be associated with you. Or maybe just maybe you are the person setting the lonely in someone else. Psalm 31 is thought to be a psalm of David when he was in a time of loneliness. A time when his enemies were out to kill him, and his friends and family were ignoring him, acting as if they didn't know who he was, and they definitely didn't want to be associated with him for fear of their life as well. However, even though he felt alone and hopeless at times he stayed faithful to God, trusting only Him, knowing God would comfort and protect Him.
Think about Jesus...at the end of His life on earth, He was like an outcast...even Peter denied Him 3 times...He cried out to God..."Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?' which means, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Mark 15:34. And everything was dark.
The same is true for the "outcast" you see. Everything seems dark around them, and aren't we called to be the light in this world for Jesus? David went on to say about being an outcast, "You hide them in the shelter of your presence, safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in your presence, far from accusing tongues." Psalm 31:20. God protects the least of these. He shelters those outcast by the world. If you see someone all alone, being unloved, being talked about, being ignored....love them, go to them, comfort them, be there friend. For God has appointed us to be hope for the hopeless (Isaiah 61:1-3) and to be love to the least of these (Matthew 25:40). God will protect the outcast, the one loyal to him, and he will punish those who beset the lonely in the crowd. "Love the Lord, all you faithful ones! For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him, but he harshly punishes all who are arrogant."Psalm 31:23.
Maybe, right now, you are an outcast. Hold strong to the love of Christ! "So be strong and take courage all you who put your hope in the Lord!"Psalm 31:24. Look up! You are never alone. You are never an outcast in God's House!