Nehemiah : WK 4 - FRI
Insults
Nehemiah 4:1-5
Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?”
Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!”
Then I prayed, “Hear us, our God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a foreign land! Do not ignore their guilt. Do not blot out their sins, for they have provoked you to anger here in front of the builders.”
Throughout our story, Sanballat’s presence consistently stands out. Unsupportive and uninvolved, he employs various tactics to thwart Nehemiah’s team. Today’s strategy involves insults and derision.
You may have grown up in a friend group that relentlessly insulted one another, poking and prodding each other to vie for positions on the social ladder. Sometimes, the group unites to target one person. At other times, there's a battle of wits as two friends engage in a back-and-forth exchange. These interactions often appear humorous and harmless, just good-natured ribbing.
One such example is the interaction between Winston Churchill and Lady Astor. She reportedly said to the prime minister, “If you were my husband, I’d poison your tea.” To which Churchill responded, “If you were my wife, I’d drink it.”
At their mildest, insults provoke laughter and make the speaker feel good about themselves. At their worst, they drain energy meant for good work, cause us to question our self-worth, and entice us into regrettable behavior. Usually, it’s better to ignore insults than to reply to them.
Nehemiah doesn’t engage directly with Sanballat or Tobiah. He doesn’t argue or present a counterpoint. Instead, he directs his team in prayer, surrendering his frustration to Yahweh. We should do the same. When we do, we need not sugarcoat our feelings. God can handle our rawest emotions and most extreme language. He can also soften our hearts, remove our arrogance, and correct our stubbornness. Jesus is the perfect place to turn when we are insulted or belittled.
After entrusting the insults to God, the builders resumed their work on the wall.
Nehemiah 4:1-5
Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?”
Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!”
Then I prayed, “Hear us, our God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a foreign land! Do not ignore their guilt. Do not blot out their sins, for they have provoked you to anger here in front of the builders.”
Throughout our story, Sanballat’s presence consistently stands out. Unsupportive and uninvolved, he employs various tactics to thwart Nehemiah’s team. Today’s strategy involves insults and derision.
You may have grown up in a friend group that relentlessly insulted one another, poking and prodding each other to vie for positions on the social ladder. Sometimes, the group unites to target one person. At other times, there's a battle of wits as two friends engage in a back-and-forth exchange. These interactions often appear humorous and harmless, just good-natured ribbing.
One such example is the interaction between Winston Churchill and Lady Astor. She reportedly said to the prime minister, “If you were my husband, I’d poison your tea.” To which Churchill responded, “If you were my wife, I’d drink it.”
At their mildest, insults provoke laughter and make the speaker feel good about themselves. At their worst, they drain energy meant for good work, cause us to question our self-worth, and entice us into regrettable behavior. Usually, it’s better to ignore insults than to reply to them.
Nehemiah doesn’t engage directly with Sanballat or Tobiah. He doesn’t argue or present a counterpoint. Instead, he directs his team in prayer, surrendering his frustration to Yahweh. We should do the same. When we do, we need not sugarcoat our feelings. God can handle our rawest emotions and most extreme language. He can also soften our hearts, remove our arrogance, and correct our stubbornness. Jesus is the perfect place to turn when we are insulted or belittled.
After entrusting the insults to God, the builders resumed their work on the wall.
- On a scale from 1 to 10, how much do you enjoy arguing? What do you think contributes to that?
- Can you recall an occasion when a friend insulted or tried to embarrass you? How did you respond?
- Is there someone you often tease? How do you think they feel about it?
- What relationship provokes you to fight? What would you like to discuss with Jesus about it?
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