Don’t be Surprised if Your Achievements Are Belittled!

Have you ever tried to do something but have been ridiculed by the people around you? Despite, the negativity, have you managed to do what people thought you couldn’t do but still received discouragement and rejection? Well, you are not alone, this was the same story for Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem.

Contrary to the thoughts and words of Tobiah and Sanballat, Nehemiah was able to build the wall. Instead of recognising the great achievement of embarking on such a large project with so many people, and accepting that they had been wrong, Sanballat and Tobiah continued to mock Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem. They scoffed at the quality of the work done and suggested that even if the wall was completed, it wouldn’t stand the test of time.

In today’s passage, we learn that some people will never admit they were wrong about us. Such people are likely to ridicule and belittle all that we do. This should not be a surprise to us. Our response to our mockers should not be to try to prove them wrong or to engage in topical debates. Instead, like Nehemiah we should pray to God who is our defender.

Nehemiah 4:4-5 - 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.” (NLT)

Rather than defend ourselves we ought to trust God, continue with the task until it is completed and remember, these words of a well-known preacher - ‘Vindication is in the womb of time’!

Questions for reflection: Have my work or efforts been ridiculed or mocked? Am I trying too hard to justify myself or my work? Have I prayed to God about my situation? Am I committed to finishing the job? Am I willing to wait for God’s vindication?