Nehemiah 2:11-20: a reflection

11So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days. 12I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I didn’t tell anyone what my God put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There wasn’t any animal with me except the animal that I rode on. 13I went out by night by the valley gate toward the jackal’s well, then to the dung gate; and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and its gates were consumed with fire. 14Then I went on to the spring gate and to the king’s pool, but there was no place for the animal that was under me to pass. 15Then I went up in the night by the brook and inspected the wall; and I turned back, and entered by the valley gate, and so returned. 16The rulers didn’t know where I went, or what I did. I had not as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest who did the work. 17Then I said to them, “You see the bad situation that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come, let’s build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we won’t be disgraced.” 18I told them about the hand of my God which was good on me, and also about the king’s words that he had spoken to me. They said, “Let’s rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work. 19But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite servant, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they ridiculed us and despised us, and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?” 20Then I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven will prosper us. Therefore we, his servants, will arise and build; but you have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem.”

Nehemiah, having surveyed the ruined walls of Jerusalem and rallied the people to rebuild, faces immediate opposition. Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem ridicule and despise the work, mocking, What is this you are doing? Will you rebel against the king? But Nehemiah is not deterred by their mockery. He answers with firm faith: The God of heaven will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build. He meets the ridicule not with discouragement, but with resolve grounded in God.

Notice Nehemiah's response to ridicule and opposition: he was not deterred, but answered with faith in God and resolve to continue. The mockery of the opponents might have discouraged him, made him doubt or abandon the work; but he did not let it. He answered with confidence in God, the God of heaven will prosper us, and with resolve, we will arise and build. The opposition did not stop him; grounded in God, he pressed on with the good work.

That response to ridicule and opposition is worth learning, for good work often draws mockery and opposition. When we set out to do something good, we can face ridicule, discouragement, opposition from those who despise the work or wish it to fail; and such mockery can discourage us, tempt us to doubt or abandon what we are doing. But Nehemiah was not deterred; he answered ridicule with faith in God and resolve to continue. When your good work draws ridicule or opposition, do not be discouraged or deterred; answer, as Nehemiah answered, with faith that God will prosper the good work, and resolve to continue it. Do not let the mockery of opponents stop you from the good work God has given; ground yourself in God, the God of heaven will prosper us, and press on to build, as Nehemiah pressed on despite the ridicule. Opposition and mockery need not stop a good work; meet them with faith in God and resolve, and continue building.

Lord, Nehemiah, having rallied the people to rebuild Jerusalem's walls, faced immediate ridicule from Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, who mocked, what is this you are doing? But he was not deterred; he answered with firm faith: the God of heaven will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build. Show me his response to ridicule and opposition: not discouragement, but faith in you and resolve to continue. The mockery might have discouraged him, made him abandon the work; but he did not let it. He answered with confidence in you and resolve to press on. Teach me that response, for good work often draws mockery and opposition. When I set out to do something good, I can face ridicule, discouragement, opposition from those who despise the work or wish it to fail; and such mockery can discourage me, tempt me to doubt or abandon what I am doing. But Nehemiah was not deterred. When my good work draws ridicule or opposition, keep me from being discouraged or deterred; help me answer, as Nehemiah answered, with faith that you will prosper the good work, and resolve to continue it. Do not let the mockery of opponents stop me from the good work you have given; help me ground myself in you, Lord, and press on to build, as Nehemiah pressed on despite the ridicule.