Nehemiah’s Discretion

Synopsis     Nehemiah 2:2-13     7/9/2020 

King Artaxerxes noticed Nehemiah’s sadness.  

Nehemiah asked the king for support. And the king gave his support. And he also gave resources for Nehemiah to accomplish his goal.  

The region was governed by Sanballat, Tobiah. These men were upset by the plan to restore Jerusalem. So, Nehemiah surveyed the situation in Jerusalem at night, so as not to attract attention.  

Nehemiah’s Discretion 

Nehemiah realized that not everyone would welcome the reconstruction of Jerusalem. Historically, the Israelites had always had enemies from the nations that surrounded them. So, it seemed likely that these same peoples would not welcome a restored Jewish state.  

As a result, he kept his plans to himself. Even though King Artaxerxes had commissioned Nehemiah to do the work, he chose to quietly go about the work. His intent was to gain momentum without fanfare that would grab the attention of his potential adversaries.  

Vanity and Discretion 

Like generations that have come before, we live in a world that glamourizes fame. In fact, it’s safe to say that culturally, we have embraced the idea that relevance is manifest in fame. So, the thinking goes, my importance comes from being known. 

Oddly enough, it doesn’t really seem to matter if I am known for good or for evil. In our culture, both fame and infamy bear outsized relevance.  

But God fills the earth with members of the Authentic Community who are basically unknown. So, like Therese of Lisieux and her “Little Way”, let us commit not so much to doing “great things”, but instead “doing little things with great love”. 

“Your every act should be done with love.” 1Cor 16:14