At first, Paul was sad and upset that not all Israel accepted Jesus as the promised Messiah. But through reflection and prayer, he came to believe that even this refusal was part of God's plan and was temporary. Their refusal would be used to bring in the Gentiles. Behind it all was God's mercy. In the end, all Israel would be saved - after all, God's gifts to Israel would never be revoked. Often, we don't understand events, or we think we do but are mistaken. We need faith and trust that God works through everything, and that God's plan is the redemption of all humanity.

The struggle for honor and recognition is a terrible thing, for it colors human relationships and interactions in a negative way. 'Me first!' - that is the guiding idea when we strive for honour and recognition. Jesus asks us to let go and unplug from all that. Be content with who you are, 'comfortable in your own skin' as the saying goes. If you are meant to be honored or recognized, it will happen. If not, that's fine too. Those who humble themselves through love and service will be exalted; those who puff themselves up and shove others out of the way to get ahead will be humbled. Be content with who you are in the Lord. If only our societies, businesses, schools, and governments realized this.