A common fault among us is the distress we feel when it seems we as individuals have been passed over for someone else. It makes us feel left out and insulted, especially when we feel we were the better choice than the one who was chosen.

Many have been the times I, myself, have had to swallow my pride and accept the fact I was passed over, which left me insulted and displaced.

But, after taking it to the Lord in prayer, I have been able to rebound just knowing God knows what’s best for me, and without fail later, I will see why I was not chosen.

Like when those plane tickets for a great job in Libya back in 2010 never came in the mail, and I was held up. It was a divine act of intervention to keep me alive from a civil war in the outbreak and reserve me to be placed at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul for a special mission to come.

What seemed to be so demoralizing at the time was, in fact, a promotion in the coming and the saving of my life. It was God holding me back for something better.

My mind goes back to the many men and women I had the honor of pastoring for a time, people who were never acclaimed to be great by society. They never made headlines nor were their names recorded in historical journals, yet they were great in the eyes of the Lord.

People like Katherine Womack, Loretta Brister, Pearl Thornhill and Ray Reid — all faithful deceased members of the last church I pastored in Jayess, to name just a few.

Ever hear of them?

Probably not.

They were the salt of the earth folks.

There is a select group of people God has reserved for himself all down through time who are briefly mentioned in two places in the Bible.

“(Of whom the world was not worthy) they wandered in deserts and in mountains and in dens and caves of the earth.

“And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

“God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” Heb. 38-40

Rev. 12: 11 says they loved not their lives and overcame by the blood of the Lamb.

These folks were just ordinary people with extra ordinary determination to serve the Lord.

Consider an overlooked group who weekly volunteer their time to help at King’s Daughter Hospital here in Brookhaven — the candy stripers.

Rarely are they heralded for their services, but how valuable it is to our local medical center.

Among many services they provide are greeting and directing visitors, helping with forming periodicals, and making animal stuffed pillows for young patients to mention only a few. These wonderful individuals don’t receive one dime for doing what means so much to others.

Those I have mentioned who are gone were faced with hardships that were unspeakable and, if you want to look at it from my angle today, passed over by life.

But, in reality, they are the cream of the crop and are held in reserve for God in a very select group.

Look closely at Hebrews 11:40 and take note the reason they were not awarded for their faithfulness. The reward was in reservation for those coming after them.

If you are blessed today and have not suffered for it, someone before you did. If you are suffering today and not being rewarded, it is for someone coming.

We measure greatness a lot different than God.

This Sunday at church, if one among us stands to give $10,000 in a donation, we will think that person gave a lot and should be recognized, and believe me they will be.

But what won’t be mentioned and will go by the boards will be those Social Security check tithes and widow’s mites placed right beside the big checks and cash offerings.

Now, both will be received and blessed by the good Lord, but one will be reserved for a greater blessing to come.

When we all who serve the Lord stand before the judgment seat of Christ, rewards are going to be passed out.

Guess who will be given the greatest?

Not those highly touted conference speakers who could make us shout.

Not those who are being selected presently to hold the out-front positions.

It will be those who were passed over and held in reserve for this day, like little ol’ widow women giving their mites and candy stripers making stuffed frog pillows for sick children.

God bless you and God bless America.

Mike Dykes is a pastor and story teller. He can be reached at angelsmannow@yahoo.com.