DON'T SPEAK YET - OUT OF FEAR

DAY 198
FAITH FILE: NEHEMIAH
SCRIPTURES: NEHEMIAH 2:7-10

Furthermore I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given to me for the governors of the region beyond the River, that they must permit me to pass through till I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he must give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel which pertains to the temple, for the city wall, and for the house that I will occupy.” And the king granted them to me according to the good hand of my God upon me. Then I went to the governors in the region beyond the River, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me. When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard of it, they were deeply disturbed that a man had come to seek the well-being of the children of Israel.

Recently, I heard a preacher say, if you think that you’re just living your life and that nobody’s going to be offended by you and you’re not going to trigger anybody or acquire any enemies, then you are wrong. Because just your breathing, your existence, is a threat to someone. And reading this scripture today, I realized that that is true. When you set out to do something at all that should bring change, before people understand what it is that you are about to do, your confidence and mannerism can attract, instigate, and ignite some kind of opposition. We see that in our text today. Nehemiah obtained permission to go and rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. The king gave him letters and he went with people.

Tobias, Sambalat, and their clique became angry with him because they heard that someone had come to work for the good of the people. If you intend to do something good, you might as well prepare your heart that just because you’re on an assignment from God or because you wanna help people, doesn’t mean you will be welcomed with love. Jesus, the savior of the world had haters. But that should not stop you.

Be Silent

When Nehemiah arrived at Jerusalem, understanding that the place might not be friendly territory, he acts wisely and withholds the details of his visit.

So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days. Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me; I told no one what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem; nor was there any animal with me, except the one on which I rode. Nehemiah 2:11-12

Sometimes we expose ourselves to unnecessary battles because we come into a new place, a new season, or a new phase of life with our mouth first. Nehemiah had not been back home for a long time. And if history from Ezra’s time had taught him anything, if the news he was getting from back home were true, it would be unwise to draw unnecessary attention to himself. Countless times people have used their mouths to destroy or delay their plans by making announcements prematurely. The tongue is a small but dangerous member that can kindle unquenchable fires if it is let to run without control.

Can I give you a bit of practical spiritual advice? Keep quiet! Be slow to speak. Withhold info until it is necessary. Be intentional about how you give out information. When it’s not necessary, keep it. When it’s necessary, let it out. There are preparations that should precede announcements and we will be looking at that tomorrow. But for today, tell yourself to keep silent.

Take a moment and ask God for wisdom. Say, Lord, give me wisdom to know what to say and what not to say. When to say and when not to say. Wisdom that will guide how I manage information concerning the assignment that You’ve put in my hands, concerning the purpose to which You have called me to. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Shalom

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