"Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea ... " (Psalm 55:1)

I realize that I may not be the most important person in the restaurant, but please do not ignore me. I am as hungry as the next person. I will be courteous to you, I have money, I will pay my bill, and I will give you a decent tip, so please do not ignore me.

I know I may not be the brightest kid in the class. My homework is not always done, my test grades are low, and my attitude is sometimes not as good as it should be, but please do not ignore me.

I understand that I am not the best athlete on the team. I will never make the all star team, I will never be voted the MVP by my teammates, and I will never score the winning run, but please do not ignore me.

I know that I am only making a small $1.99 purchase. Compared to your other customers who may spend hundreds of dollars my little item seems really insignificant, and the time you are taking with them is probably justified, but please do not ignore me.

I accept the fact that I am only one member of the congregation. There are other families with greater problems, other couples with deeper hurts, and other individuals who have greater needs than I, but please do not ignore me.

I realize that I may not be the most important customer on your route. My orders are not as big, my inventory is not as large, and you will not make as hefty a commission on me as you will other customers, but please do not ignore me.

I am only one child in a room full of students. I do not answer all the questions correctly, I do not dress as nice as some of the other children, and I may not turn out to be a doctor like some of the other children, but please do not ignore me.

I am one of the guys in your class. I am not the most handsome boy in the class, I am not the captain of the football team, and I probably will never date the prettiest girl in the school, but please do not ignore me.

Being ignored is no fun. Being ignored may be one of the most humiliating things one person can do to another person. Being ignored says, "You do not matter. You do not exist. You are not important." Children throw fits to prevent people from ignoring them. Adolescents will "act out" in disruptive and often destructive ways when they feel they are being ignored. Grownups will behave in strange and bizarre ways if they feel they are being ignored. No one likes to be ignored.

No one likes it.
It is one thing to be ignored in a department store, by people you hardly know. It is quite another thing to be ignored by people you love and who you feel love you. No one likes it. God does not like it either.

Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. (Proverbs 8:33)My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children. (Hosea 4:6)We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. (Hebrews 2:1-3)

My prayer to God, "Please do not ignore me."

God's words to me, "Please do not ignore me."