Nehemiah 4:10-14 - Then the people of Judah began to complain, “The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves.” Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, “Before they know what’s happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work.” The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, “They will come from all directions and attack us!” So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows. Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!” (NLT)
One of my pet peeves is when people misquote the Bible and/or use a verse completely out of its context. An example of this is:
Matthew 12:30 - Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me. (NLT)
This verse is often used to shut down any form of criticism, constructive or otherwise, whether it be from outsiders or people with genuine and honest concerns. Leaders who use this verse and its implied non-contextual approach to determine the commitment level of the people they work with, tend to act harshly and dismissively toward their team members.
To be clear, I am not dismissing the words of Jesus, when read in its proper context, one finds that Jesus’ words in Matthew 12:30 are in response to an accusation by the Pharisees that He got his power from Satan.
Matthew 12: 24 - But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.”
Jesus’ response to people who were in support of what He was doing was the following:
Mark 9:40 - Anyone who is not against us is for us. (NLT)
So how does this relate to our passage in Nehemiah? In today’s passage, we read that the people in Judah began to complain halfway through the building project. Those who lived near the enemy became afraid and feared being attacked.
Nehemiah 4:10-12 - Then the people of Judah began to complain, “The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves.” Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, “Before they know what’s happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work.” The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, “They will come from all directions and attack us!” (NLT)
Instead of Nehemiah dismissing their concerns and assuming that the Enemy was now working through them, he did two things. Firstly, he gave them practical solutions to their problems. He gave the people armed guards to protect their families.
Nehemiah 4:13 - So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows. (NLT)
Throughout the rest of the chapter, we read that Nehemiah changed the way the whole project was executed so that the people felt and were safe.
Nehemiah 4:16-17 - But from then on, only half my men worked while the other half stood guard with spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. The leaders stationed themselves behind the people of Judah who were building the wall. The laborers carried on their work with one hand supporting their load and one hand holding a weapon. (NLT)
Nehemiah 4: 21-22 - We worked early and late, from sunrise to sunset. And half the men were always on guard. 22I also told everyone living outside the walls to stay in Jerusalem. That way they and their servants could help with guard duty at night and work during the day. (NLT)
Secondly, he gave their souls spiritual food. He reminded them of the God they served and why they were embarking on the project in the first place.
Nehemiah 4:14 - Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!” (NLT)
As leaders this teaches us that we should not be dismissive of the concerns of the people we work with. When they raise concerns, it is our responsibility to find practical solutions to alleviate their concerns. It is also our role to remind them of who God is and the importance of the work that we are doing. In a secular setting, we may not be able to point people to God but we can still reassure our colleagues and provide words of hope rather than discouragement.
Questions for reflection: Am I an approachable leader? Have my team raised any concerns with me? What have I done to address their problems? Am I dismissive? Have I asked the Holy Spirit to help me be more empathic towards the people I lead?
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