Opposition
How do you respond to people who oppose your ideas or plans? You know what I mean. How do you respond when the children don't cooperate and you've got a thousand things to get done. . .TODAY!? What do you do when you've made plans and your spouse throws a monkey wrench in the middle of them. . .whether they're right or not? What's your natural instinct when you have an idea and your co-workers shoot it down, even though in your heart, you know it's the right idea?
How do you respond to people who oppose your ideas or plans?
I was thinking about that very question when I read Nehemiah 4 this morning. As the curtains draw back and we enter the scene we find Nehemiah on a God-Sized, God-Blessed Mission (GSGBM). He's leading the Israelites in the strategic process of rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. In verse one we discover the already established opposition working overtime. Then, in verse seven we see the opposition began to expand.
I think that whenever God's people are on a GSGBM, there will be opposition.
The question still remains, How do you respond to people who oppose your ideas or plans?
Here's what I do, I get frustrated which, if not countered, quickly runs to anger. Then I start thinking, "What can I do show them that they are wrong and I am right?" In the process I'm talking with friends, getting their input. And when I say friends, it's usually people who i know will agree with me so I can feel justified in my reactions. What I've discovered about myself is that I can do all of this in the amount of time it takes most people to discover someone's opposing them. Yeah, I'm that good. . .at getting defensive and attacking. Not good.
So, How do you respond to people who oppose your ideas or plans?
I love verse nine, "But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat" Not sure if you picked up on that. Just in case you didn't let me help. Nehemiah's first response was to pray. . .to seek God's heart. . .to take his concerns and the opposition to God, himself. THEN, he took responsibility for his GSGBM and placed guards around the city to protect the people.
He didn't just give it to God, then sit back. He also didn't take it on without consulting God. It wasn't an either/or situation. It was a both/and.
I know I'm an either/or kind of guy. I've been learning the both/and. It's tough to switch your thinking. . .to change your nature. But if we are to be who God's created us to be - spouse, leader, parent, employee, teacher, student - then we have to learn to change. And if you're like me, this is a great place to start.
So. . .How do you respond to people who oppose your ideas or plans?
Mike
How do you respond to people who oppose your ideas or plans?
I was thinking about that very question when I read Nehemiah 4 this morning. As the curtains draw back and we enter the scene we find Nehemiah on a God-Sized, God-Blessed Mission (GSGBM). He's leading the Israelites in the strategic process of rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. In verse one we discover the already established opposition working overtime. Then, in verse seven we see the opposition began to expand.
I think that whenever God's people are on a GSGBM, there will be opposition.
The question still remains, How do you respond to people who oppose your ideas or plans?
Here's what I do, I get frustrated which, if not countered, quickly runs to anger. Then I start thinking, "What can I do show them that they are wrong and I am right?" In the process I'm talking with friends, getting their input. And when I say friends, it's usually people who i know will agree with me so I can feel justified in my reactions. What I've discovered about myself is that I can do all of this in the amount of time it takes most people to discover someone's opposing them. Yeah, I'm that good. . .at getting defensive and attacking. Not good.
So, How do you respond to people who oppose your ideas or plans?
I love verse nine, "But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat" Not sure if you picked up on that. Just in case you didn't let me help. Nehemiah's first response was to pray. . .to seek God's heart. . .to take his concerns and the opposition to God, himself. THEN, he took responsibility for his GSGBM and placed guards around the city to protect the people.
He didn't just give it to God, then sit back. He also didn't take it on without consulting God. It wasn't an either/or situation. It was a both/and.
I know I'm an either/or kind of guy. I've been learning the both/and. It's tough to switch your thinking. . .to change your nature. But if we are to be who God's created us to be - spouse, leader, parent, employee, teacher, student - then we have to learn to change. And if you're like me, this is a great place to start.
So. . .How do you respond to people who oppose your ideas or plans?
Mike
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