Nehemiah, Pt. 3: "The Only Thing Constant is Change" (Neh 2-3)

THE ONLY THING CONSTANT IS CHANGE: FROM AMBITION TO ADVANCEMENT (NEHEMIAH 2:11-20)
In the movie Braveheart about Scotland’s struggle for independence from the English at the turn of the 14th century, William Wallace attempted to persuade the Scottish nobles to discontinue their ties with the English, unite the fragmented Scottish clans and mobilize them to fight Edward Longshanks, the ruthless English king, and the superior English army. Joint effort from the Scottish nobles and the clans was the only chance for freedom; however, the nobles were often bribed by the English king.

One day, the usually selfish nobles, uncharacteristically, offered Wallace to unite behind him in battle. Hamish, Wallace’s boyhood friend and loyal right-hand man, suspected the nobles were bribed to betray Wallace to the English, and passionately appealed to Wallace not to believe them: “It’s a trap. Are you blind?” Wallace replied realistically, “Look at us. We’ve got to try. We can’t do this alone. Joining the nobles is the only hope for our people.” Wallace then asked an intriguing question, “You know what happens if we don’t take that chance?” Hamish shouted in despair, “What?” And Wallace quietly but firmly answered his angry friend: “Nothing!”

Change is usually slow, often difficult, but always inevitable. Three sayings are to bear in mind on change. First, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Second, the only ones who welcome change are wet babies. Third, the only constant in life is change. Without change there is no breakthrough, no progress and no advancement. It’s been said, “If you keep on doing what you always did, you’ll keep on getting what you always got!”

Nehemiah was a man of prayer and a man favored by the king. He had come before God in three great confessions in the first chapter. And in chapter 2, he answered Artaxerxes’ three pointed questions, to the king’s satisfaction. He showed that he was ready. But how do you tell others about a personal vision or announce a group project? To change things, to convince people to accept change and to coordinate and cope with change? Nehemiah faced the inhabitants and leaders of Jerusalem -the priests, nobles, and officials – and told them how God had revived him in a powerful way and how God had put in his heart a desire to rebuild the city. The Chinese say, “Starting is easy, sustaining is hard開始容易、維持困難.”

What preparation is necessary for change to occur? How do we ready others for change? Why is change not mere say but hard work?

Experience and Inspect Things Before You Start
11 I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days 12 I set out during the night with a few men. I had not told anyone what my God had put in my heart to do for Jerusalem. There were no mounts with me except the one I was riding on. 13 By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. 14 Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; 15 so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall. Finally, I turned back and reentered through the Valley Gate. 16 The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing to the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work. (Neh 2:11-16)

When I first arrived in Riverside, an hour’s drive from Los Angeles, for ministry, I discovered that the church had to make some physical changes to prepare itself for guests and visitors. Change was due. The church was located in an unincorporated low-income area of Riverside County. The congregation sang hymns from two different hymnals to make up for a shortage of hymnals – and consequently two different hymn numbers were printed in the bulletin for the same song. Further, five or six flies were often swarming around the Lord’s table area during the worship hour, displaying their aerial skills and pesky flight.

The real battle was with the men’s restroom. The little country church restroom had big problems. For years, a flimsy curtain, instead of a wooden door, was used as for a restroom door. Further, yellow vertical lines were lining the urinal.

Cosmetic changes were needed. We bought new hymnals. The board vice chairman replaced the door himself and put in a wooden door. I got rid of the urinal lines, using powerful lime removal. For good measure, we replaced the worn-out sanctuary and nursery carpets, thereby giving the flies less reason to return. An ecstatic board member shared that I had moved the church five years ahead in just one year.

I like Nehemiah. Much as he desired to help the rebuilding project, he was the realistic kind of guy who either could or could not do it, who was for or against the plan, and who will begin and end a job well. After resting three days on arrival (v 11), Nehemiah kept the task to himself and tackled the task head on. He sat on beast and traveled by foot (v 12, 15), probed for openings and roadblocks (v 14), and kept quiet and spoke up when needed (v 16). He checked for himself the ruined city, broken walls and consumed gates to experience the damage and dissatisfaction personally.

Nehemiah checked the confines, then the conditions and finally for contingencies. First, Nehemiah made sure he knew the confines – the name of each place (v 13), the need at hand and the peculiarities of the property. He went out at night through the Valley Gate, the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate (v 13). Next, he examined the conditions of the walls and the gates (v 13). How was it damaged? How extensive? How to get there?

Finally, Nehemiah checked for contingencies. He discovered that horses were unable to pass through at the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool (v 14); only pedestrians were able to pass, ,thereby complicating the work without the help of beasts of burden.

Jesus says, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ (Luke 14:28-30) The Chinese calls this “Courage without wisdom有勇無智.”

Exhort and Inspire Others When You Speak
17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” 18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work. (Neh 2:17-18)

What is the difference between a mediocre teacher, a good teacher, a superior teacher, and a great teacher? Journalist William Arthur Ward said, “The mediocre teacher tells, the good teacher explains, the superior teacher demonstrates, but the great teacher inspires.” (Bits and Pieces )

One of the most inspirational lines I have heard was uttered by a skater who was barely a teen then. Naomi Nari Nam was thirteen and sensational when she was placed second to Michelle Kwan in the 1999 U. S. National Figure Skating Championship. She revealed to the TV audience what inspired her to her shock placing among the more experienced, skillful and mature girls. Nam said she adored Michelle Kwan and admired Tara Lipinski’s performance in the Olympics. After watching the thrilling duel between her two favorite Olympians, the then pre-teen told and reminded herself countless times these six words while she was on the practice rink: “One day that could be me!”

What did Nehemiah say that got their cooperation, earned their respect and sustained the Israelites to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem? How did he say it? Why was it effective? Nehemiah persuaded them of his plan, pulled them to his side, and practiced what he preached.

Nehemiah persuaded the locals by referring again to the state of things: the broken walls and consumed gates (v 17, 13, 3, 1:3). He laid down the fundamental rule of change: the dissatisfaction factor. To change, one must feel uneasy, be disgruntled and show intolerance of current conditions. So Nehemiah told them honestly how bad, neglected and unacceptable the situation was (v 17).

Then, instead of alienating or angering others, blaming or rebuking them for the neglect, making them feel lousy or inadequate, Nehemiah pulled them to his side by inviting their participation in the rebuilding project. Consider the personal pronouns Nehemiah used in 2:17: “You see the trouble ‘we’ are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let ‘us’ rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and ‘we’ will no longer be in disgrace.” “We” and “us,” never “me” - Nehemiah considered himself an insider, one of them, put himself in their place,

Finally, Nehemiah inspired the people by telling them the risks he took to return (v 18): how he put his job in jeopardy to follow God’s leading, how one day the king started the conversation, and how he got the king’s understanding, permission and help.

Expect and Invest Energy for Your Success
19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?” 20 I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.” (Neh 2:19-20)

An American Indian tells about a brave who found an eagle’s egg and put it into the nest of a prairie chicken. The eaglet hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them.

All of its life, the changeling eagle, thinking it was a prairie chicken, did what the prairie chickens did. It scratched in the dirt for seeds and insects to eat. It clucked and cackled. And it flew in a brief thrashing of wings and flurry of feathers no more than a few feet off the ground. After all, that’s how prairie chickens were supposed to fly.

Years passed. And the changeling eagle grew very old. One day, it saw a magnificent bird far above him in the cloudless sky. Hanging with graceful majesty on the powerful wind currents, it soared with scarcely a beat of its strong golden wings.

“What a beautiful bird!” said the changeling eagle to its neighbor. “What is it?”

“That’s an eagle- the chief of the birds,” the neighbor clucked. “But don’t give it a second thought. You could never be like him.”

So the changeling eagle never gave it another thought. And what did the eagle think it was all his life? And it died thinking it was a prairie chicken. (Bits and Pieces 9/14/95)

Christians, live like the eagle and not the chicken. Soar, don’t scratch; glide, don’t grovel; and fly, don’t flap.

Before Nehemiah even had a chance to launch his rebuilding project, he was mocked and ridiculed by Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem. Nehemiah understood the obstacles, setbacks, and troubles were expected, and he did not let these things discourage him from starting and completing the job. He was more determined to last than ever.

Nehemiah was not motivated by catchwords but by convictions based on three captivating phrases in Hebrew: “God will prosper us,” “We will rise and build,” and “You’ll have no part in this.” (v 20)

In chapter 3, rulers (3:9, 12, 17) and citizens, sons and daughters (3:12), and priests and merchants (3:32) showed up in force, in unity and in hope. They worked side-by-side, climbed up and down and repaired the inside and outside. Everyone did their part. Some worked by themselves, some worked in a cluster and some work in their family or clans. No one felt unimportant, worked less or stole sleep. They used their knowledge, experience and skills to get things done. They depended on one another. The Hebrew word “next” appears 16 times in chapter 3. The men of Tekoa did double duty (3:5, 27). Priests (3:1, 22, 28), perfumers (3:8), Levites (3:17), temple servants (3:26), goldsmiths and merchants (3:31-32) learned new skills and were turned into handymen. Even ladies of privileged background (3:12) pitched in.

Why did Nehemiah and the Israelites reject the offer of others and do the work themselves? Relying on outsiders, strangers and bystanders would bring more harm than good because of the influx of questionable motives, methods, and mission.

Conclusion: Death, taxes, and change are the three certainties of life. Things, people, and situations change from time to time, from place to place, and from one instance to another. Michael Eisner, former CEO of Disney said, “Everyone needs to renew himself or herself once every seven years, or they become stale.” Change need not be extensive, costly, or immediate, but change is inevitable, healthy, and constant. Have you considered making some sound changes in your life, maybe in your family, or in your church? Have you inspired others to change for the better? Have you calculated the cost of change? Do you lead by example?