Key Texts: 1 John 4: 1-6; Nehemiah 1-4, 6-7, 12-13
Supporting Texts: Romans 15:7; John 3: 15-17; 3 Timothy 1: 13-14: Proverbs 4: 23
There are many scriptures connected to this entry which will enhance your understanding; nonetheless, it is possible to understand the key message if your time is limited to do so before you read.
As my upbringing was in the church, and I later came to embark on personal faith in God, I am acutely aware of how pleasant and accommodating committed Christians can be; this is positive, must be celebrated and as instructed in Scripture, must continue. Like others with no connection to the Church, we often exercise wisdom, but (in an irritating way), are contrastingly sometimes gullible. Regardless of how experienced or mature we are, or whether we agree, mankind – from all avenues of life, is vulnerable to deception. I know you may think immediately of deception by church leaders, but that’s not chiefly what I’m referring to in this entry. We know that some leaders aren’t sincere, and must be discerning- we are advised in Scripture to test the Spirits. I hope none of you fall prey to such deception and as I noted in Blots, Flaws and Revelations, their sins, your sins and my sins are all seen by God and forgiven on request, even when there are unavoidable consequences.
However, the discernment to which I refer is more complex. As well as the ability to make sound decisions, it is a wisdom in discerning character and motives in everyday interactions, regardless of their origins (in the Church, secular world or the world at large). I do not seek to write as a wise sage – everything I write is for my benefit too, as I too have been less discerning than I could have been in many situations. We will learn together as we seek to grow.
As seen in the key texts, sometimes, even with pure motives which will ultimately glorify God, every one will not necessarily support us. Even with plans which will honour the Lord and uplift others, we will encounter the Sanballats and Tobiahs of our time, who are in opposition to our purpose. Opposition is not always blatant, hence it must be discerned to prevent it from getting the platform it seeks. We have an ultimate enemy of our souls, bent on theft and destruction of our God-given identities and purpose. Many of you have already done, and will undoubtedly do much work to build the Kingdom of God through your lives, secular work and ministries more explicitly connected to the Church. Though it’s disheartening, we also need to be aware that every opportunity which seems lofty as we seek to honour Him is not of God.
Nehemiah was moved by the destruction of the wall and gates around Jerusalem after the exile of God’s people, and wanted them to be rebuilt for God’s glory. There was no vain ambition, selfishness or desire for acclamations, despite his opponents’ allegations of such. The Israelites had been exited and the destruction of the walls could not be ignored. Yet, in spite of his pure motives, Nehemiah faced much opposition.
Thankfully, despite the opposition, Nehemiah’s concern for his people, dependence on God, focus and resilience are great models for us regarding discernment. Not only did he discern who to trust, but Nehemiah’s close relationship with God compelled him to pray about everything that concerned him. After he heard about the destruction of the walls, he mourned, fasted and prayed. Even prior to his assignment, it’s clear that Nehemiah followed a pattern of seeking God on all matters. His experiences highlight the need for fasting to aid discernment and the identification of counterfeits which are more readily exposed when one has been exposed to the authentic! After his fast about the situation, God gave an answer in the form of his employer – king Artaxerxes, who initiated the conversation about his concerns. Through Nehemiah’s initial discernment to seek God, he was divinely supported in being a key figure in resolving the problems in the destroyed city. This keen discernment continued when he arrived in Jerusalem; instead of telling everyone what he planned, he took no actions for the first few days, aside from taking a few men with him (at night!) to examine the city and damage.
Nehemiah was not even aware that Sanballat and Tobiah opposed him at that point, but it’s almost as if he discerned that such a great work for God would not be conducted without opposition! It is therefore no surprise that by the time they began to mock him, he was prepared and not intimidated. Nehemiah reminded his opponents that they had no claims or rights to Jerusalem despite their positions. That’s a charge to us – when faced with blatant opposition, we may need to remind antagonists that nothing can stop God’s plans and they have no authority above Him!
Nehemiah’s leadership of the men and resources to rebuild the walls further incensed Sanballat and Tobiah, but he discerned that he had been given an opportunity and was not phased by their plots. He did not entertain the enemies’ taunts, lies or schemes, and went as far as strategically praying, but also dividing the men into builders and an army, ready to fight if needed (salvation doesn’t mean gullibility!). He knew God was with them, but also planned for any attacks that God could have allowed. God would ultimately have been glorified even if there was a battle, but Nehemiah still realised that it would require his participation in that event. The trumpeter was always close to him, ready to alert the others to fight if needed. He discerned that this job was absolutely mandatory, and was prepared to fight for it if needed; His time with God and underlying discernment prompted him to see the urgency of rebuilding.
After Nehemiah and his team began to make more visible progress, Sanballat and Tobiah became increasingly angry (typical of the enemy!), and sent repeated letters and lies to intimidate him. On none of those occasions did Nehemiah accept it; he was not gullible, and despite their multiple attempts to ridicule or ‘meet’ him (Geshem and Sanballat), his response was the same – NO! In Chapter 6:2, Nehemiah knew their intentions and acted accordingly. It must have helped too that he was not hungry for affirmation or supporters – he simply wanted to restore order to Jerusalem and glorify God. Indeed, he was so focused that in verse 9 of Chapter 6, he continued to build but also prayed for his enemies and against their plot. Likewise, after the wall was rebuilt and even during its construction, he organised security, including opening hours for the gates.
Nehemiah discerned that finishing the job didn’t mean the end to the opposition. In Chapter 13, on returning to Jerusalem after some time away, Nehemiah immediately removed anyone who the people had gullibly accommodated – those who were connected to the men who were most opposed to him. He left no stone unturned in restoring order to the use of the temple and practices among God’s people. Even if the same threats didn’t exist, Nehemiah did not forget the condition of the hearts of Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem, or think they would cease trying to hurt him; they had shown no evidence of changing. That’s godly wisdom.
Nehemiah’s discernment stemmed from his confidence in God and reliance on His protection. He prayed, but also prepared for attacks, and admonishes us to equally be on our guard in this book of the Bible. If you are doing anything to bring glory to God/anything significant, expect opposition. In daily interactions, it is unwise to instantly trust everyone. Nehemiah accomplished his assignment because he discerned evil intentions, and refused to engage with them; he was protective of his time, resources and mandate from God which he discerned in his time with Him.
Though we desire relationships and connections and don’t always get it right, we must be cautious in our world which is overflowing with evil schemes which grow in variety daily! Nehemiah’s time with God gave him boldness, wisdom and focus and enabled him to finish the task without unnecessary interactions or relationships with opponents. It is not unkind to do the same. Our mandate is to love and serve people, but that is not synonymous with being gullible, vulnerable or trusting of everyone we encounter with seemingly good intentions. Some enemies may be discerned more readily whilst others are more subtle, and the time lost in engaging with them often cannot be regained. Perhaps if Nehemiah was had been gullible, the ruined city would have been rebuilt by his or someone else’s leadership. However, trusting his enemies’ criticism above God’s words would have interfered with his time, soul and assignment. I quite admire Nehemiah’s strategy of dismissing the opponents’ attempts to distract him and derail his purpose due to their underlying hate and envy, but simultaneously making every effort to guard God’s building project. He was aware that what he had seen of their character was enough evidence that they should not be trusted. Nehemiah’s strategies teach us to use similar wisdom. Depending on the nature of the relationship, it may not be possible or necessary to sever ties with others altogether when they prove to be untrustworthy; regardless, discernment is beneficial for any ensuing interactions. Some opportunities are not necessarily ungodly either; we may face the task of choosing from several options which will all ultimately be ‘good’. However, major decisions and relationships benefit from time spent in seeking God and discerning His will based on His Word; discernment helped Nehemiah to glorify God by providing stability and eliminating chaos in the city – it is of equal value to us.
I pray that we will all grow in discernment fellow pilgrims, and in so doing, filter what is helpful or a hindrance to our destiny. The close connection with God needed to foster such discernment is available to all who seek Him. Likewise, if you have faltered in discernment, God is able to restore you – that’s His specialism!
I pray that you will be able to pray about areas in which you need discernment today – He hears. Before major decisions, seek God. During assignments, seek God. Exercise caution when an opportunity seems appealing – will your decision ms ultimately glorify God or potentially create distance between you and Him or intercept His work in your life? If you form an alliance, will it hinder or help you? Let us follow Nehemiah’s formula for discernment by taking EVERY concern to God and learning to hear His voice through time with Him. Discernment may also be enhanced with genuine counsellors, but ultimately, as individuals, we will need this trait and as seen in Nehemiah, time with God – the supreme Counsellor is the best ingredient for godly discernment.
Heartfelt Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for the wisdom that comes from knowing You in a deeper way. Responsibilities, problems and an overactive mind often distract me from spending more time with You. I pray for Your help in being disciplined and fully reliant on you like Nehemiah, so I can discern Your will in my decisions and relationships. I ask these mercies in Your Son’s -Jesus’ name. Amen.
