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Hello, my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
You and I live at a time in history quite different from the past, even a few generations ago. That is true in almost every facet of every society in the world. Have you noticed one aspect of change that has gained amazing momentum over the past few decades is RIDICULE. Some call it the ‘shame culture’ others call it the ‘cancel culture’. Much of the media, both mainstream and social media, spend an inordinate amount of time ridiculing, criticizing and even seeking to humiliate people, especially people who are attempting to do good things. It’s more than sad, it’s shameful, do you agree?
I left you yesterday at a massive community construction project, the rebuilding of the city wall around Jerusalem, in the summer of 445bc. It was a remarkable project as almost everyone was putting their hands to the task of this back breaking work. Can you hear the cheering and mutual encouragement as people were working together, shoulder to shoulder, to restore what had been broken down 140 years before by King Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian army? (2 Chron. 36:15-20) Progress was being made, hope was being restored, one big rock at a time.
But as so often happens, RIDICULE was brewing among those opposed to hope being restored in Jerusalem. Nehemiah reports it like this: “When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He RIDICULED the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he asked, ‘what are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall?…Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble…? (Nehemiah 4:1,2)
You may recall the other day we met what I call “the angry trio” of Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem; Gentile officials who had been in regional authority and had no interest in seeing anything done to help the restoration of Jerusalem. In fact, Tobiah joined in by saying: “What they are building – even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!” (Nehemiah 4:3) Well the people working on the wall knew that was partially true. Few of them were professional wall builders and they were re-using as much of the rubble from the former wall as they could, so yes, probably their work may not have passed code inspection, but still it was their wall, and their best efforts, and they were making good progress.
Nonetheless, ridicule hurts, doesn’t it my friends, and ridicule can suck the energy out of even the most passionate movement. So what to do?
I love the fact that Nehemiah gives us his first hand account of this entire experience and without any explanation Nehemiah simply cried out to God: “Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from Your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.” (Nehemiah 4:4,5) My guess is Nehemiah’s prayer was contagious and all around the work site people prayed as they worked, and those at home prayed for God’s strength in the face of ridicule.
The fact that they were all working together, shoulder to shoulder next to each other, I’m sure had created a profound sense of TEAMWORK! And while Nehemiah makes no mention of it, I have to believe songs broke out on the work line for historically, all the way back to their slavery days in Egypt, the Jewish people have encouraged each other with songs as they face opposition and difficulty in life.
So, what’s your best antidote to discouragement in the face of ridicule my friends? Have you discovered the power of singing, especially praise singing to our God? That’s one reason I almost always conclude every edition of WWJ with a worship song.
Without further explanation, Nehemiah simply gives us one powerful, short report of what happened next: “So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart!” (Nehemiah 4:6) Does that make you want to cheer and celebrate? By the way, ‘half its height’ was not three or four feet. The city wall of Jerusalem, as most city walls in that day, would likely be about 30 feet high, and probably 10 feet thick! The wall needed to be strong enough to withstand raming from the outside and wide enough for defending warriors to walk and shoot from the top of this wall. This was no small project. Their lives, for generations to come, would depend on the strength of this great city wall!
Let’s pause here my friends and contemplate the city in which you live, and especially the online world which affects all of us.
How would you describe the power of RIDICULE affecting your life and that of your children and grandchildren?
How vulnerable is your family to ridicule, intimidation, criticism, gossip etc.?
What are you and I doing to help ourselves, our spouse, our kids and grandkids learn to withstand and counter character defamation, ridicule and criticism, especially if what is said is UNTRUE?
For these Jews working hard to rebuild their wall, they knew the rubble was a strong reminder of God’s judgment poured out on their ancestors because of their refusal to live God honoring lives and their rejection of the prophets God sent to His people.
But they also knew they were God’s chosen people and the people of God’s Covenant and this generation with Nehemiah was determined to restore that cherished relationship with God, as well as their city, their Temple and their wall.
Do you and I and our families see ourselves as God’s Redeemed, cherished people, purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ; transformed by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit; and adopted into God’s family?
Do we claim 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Romans 8:1 and 1 Peter 2:9,10 as God’s declarations over us claiming us as His people and does that true Identity give us courage in the face of any ridicule?
I sure hope so.
I urge you to write those verses down on a card and carry them with you as counter to any ridicule! And here’s a great song of affirmation of our identity in Christ and all HE has accomplished FOR us and IN us!
Today’s Scripture: Nehemiah 4:1-6.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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