T-75

Nehemiah, cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, finds himself in a prickly situation. The grief he feels over his brethren in Jerusalem shows on his face in the presence of the king. The king notices his long face and questions Nehemiah as to the cause of his sadness. Nehemiah realizes that his job is in danger even his very life is at stake. It’s decision time for Nehemiah. Will he answer the king truthfully or will he be crushed under the pressure and give a glib reply?

Our text today reveals the outcome as follows;
Nehemiah 2:3 (NIV)
3 but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?”
[1]

Nehemiah answers frankly and honestly and in his response, I see transparency and truthfulness buttressed by courage.

As to transparency, Nehemiah chose to reveal his emotional burden without any pretense. He did not posture or pretend there was nothing on his heart but rather spoke directly to the matter. God had laid a burden on his heart for the city of Jerusalem; a burden heavy enough to show in his countenance. Many men would have dodged the question that required revelation of an emotional burden but not Nehemiah. In his response we see that he has chosen to trust God (working in Artaxerxes) with the emotional baggage Nehemiah was carrying.

As to truthfulness, Nehemiah chose to answer the king frankly and directly. He could have provided an answer that satisfied the king without being honest but truthfulness and honesty, that is what the God of Nehemiah demanded and that is what Nehemiah gave. Even at the risk of his own life, Nehemiah spoke bravely and confidently, safe in the knowledge that his God would protect and provide for him.

As to courage, though his life was at stake, Nehemiah did not bow down to the pressure of pleasing the king. His allegiance was to the higher power of God and he did what he should even though he was afraid. Such courage reveals the strength of his convictions and the confidence in His God. In this, we see a similarity between Nehemiah and Caleb. Both men were in dangerous circumstances with their lives on the line. Both men had faith in God enough to give them the courage they needed to do the right thing. By their actions, both men brought glory to God and became vessels for His noble purposes.

In the face of this example, how would you respond? We each shoulder our own burdens each and every day. In the course of our day, we invariably hear the question “How are you today?” And in that moment, in the presence of the KING, we have a choice to make as to how we will reply. Do you reveal your heart, expose your tender and vulnerable underside or do you harden your heart? Do you honor God through an honest and forthright answer or do you bow to the king of lies? Do you halve your burden by sharing it with another so that they may be enable to accomplish God’s will? Or do you oppose God’s will by the disingenuous answer of “I’m fine”?

These are the questions we must confront as we consider the actions of Nehemiah.

Regards,
Carl
[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 (electronic ed.). Grand Rapids: Zondervan.