The Character of Nehemiah - Part 4
/We can be confident that Nehemiah never prayed for the wall around Jerusalem to be broken down to rubble in hopes he could be the guy to put it all together again. But he was ready for the opportunity that God had set before him. But why Nehemiah? Surely, there were others available to lead the charge, Nehemiah wasn't the only one. He was busy and had a high-level job!
No other Israelite seems to respond as Nehemiah. His passion and trusted character afforded him the chance to leave the king to rebuild the wall.
The job was anything but smooth as there was rubble everywhere. The builders were quickly mocked and became targets of disparaging plots as they began their work. There were potential problems on all fronts that could have sidetracked and discouraged Nehemiah. Further, as he continued with this massive project, some builders were understandably and increasingly fatigued. Pessimistic rumors were spreading. Still, somehow, Nehemiah's spirit sustained the laborers. His vision of completion moved the builder’s past naysayers, and his skills helped protect from those with evil intent. He wanted to complete the task regardless of the problems at hand. Stone by stone, the wall took shape. In just fifty-two days, much faster than anyone imagined, the wall was completed.
There are always obstacles to overcome. Just like Nehemiah, having a "stop-at-nothing" spirit is a great asset.
Having this spirit often separates the accomplished from the others. By its nature, an accomplishment comes with overcoming stumbling blocks. A young child overcomes a few tumbles to walk, a student overcomes the unhelpful team member to finish the project, the employee receives the promotion despite the headwinds along the way, and so on.
Nehemiah had plenty of reasons to quit, give in, or at least take much longer. For him it seems, when there was a problem, he found a solution and moved on, not letting the issue sway him from his goal.
What if you were in the sandals of Nehemiah? How would you have reacted to those that did not support you or the workers that may have complained? What is stopping you now from working towards a long-term goal?
At times, it is merely our own selves that stop us. We reason ourselves away from overcoming, or don't put in the required effort. Our focus turns from the task at hand to the reasons why we can't complete it. It is a problem for many, reasoning away the possibilities and then settling for less than what could be true.
Other times, we see problems that may be insurmountable. The situation seems too messy, and we don't know where to begin. This self-defeating spirit can freeze our forward motion as well.
Nehemiah believed in the power of God. That faith was his reasoning as to why the wall would get built regardless of what he faced. As the foundation of the wall took shape, it was his spiritual foundation that carried him through the wall's rebuilding and helped him overcome whatever stood in his way. His spiritual foundation was a part of him. And while there is nothing written about his childhood, he must have seen how God prepared him for this moment. God opened the door for him to use his talents, even before a nonbelieving boss, the king of Persia. Nehemiah did not doubt, nor was he swayed by the multitude of obstacles. He used his knowledge and his conviction to do the work God put on his heart.
More to come on Nehemiah next week.
