but what if I don't disobey?

Nehemiah was scared, and he had good reason to be. People were opposing the building of the temple and wanted him to stop leading it. They would do anything to stop him.

In the face of being killed he's told to hide. Makes sense, right? Save yourself. God will understand. He doesn't want you to die, does he?

These questions seem to echo the sinister whispers of the serpent in the garden. "God told you to do what? He is holding out on you. He is not letting you know the full story. He is going to cause you harm by this. How can good come from this? Think of what benefit could happen if you disobeyed."

Thankfully, the wisdom of the Lord was guiding Nehemiah when these questions arose in his heart. Nehemiah saw the ploy of fear to get him to disobey. To get him to not do what God had told him to do. To get him to defy the Lord's command, not trusting that he who called him would sustain him.


Recently I found myself in the midst of someone who just got on my daggum nerves. What's more---I felt justified in getting irritated! This person was behaving poorly, was hurting other people, and it made me angry.

I wanted to do what I too often do: go and tell someone about it. I wanted to make this person look as bad as I felt in my heart that they were.

Why? What was my reason for this? There were several, I'm sure. I didn't want people to praise this person because I felt they did not deserve praise. I didn't want this person to get out of something. I wanted them to be seen as wrong. And you know what? There was a lot of judgement. A lot of "this is how they are and I would never be like that."

Lord Jesus, help me.


This particular time I thankfully heard the voice of the Lord and obeyed.

"Outdo one another in showing honor." Romans 12:10

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue." Proverbs 18:21

"Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you... Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them... For [God] is gracious to the ungrateful and evil. Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful." Luke 6:27-28, 31, 35

Yeah, I guess you could say I knew better. But too often even in knowing what the Lord calls me to do I let the fear of what will happen if I don't disobey guide me. If I don't say something, will this person go unpunished? Will they be given undue praise?

I'm sure Nehemiah could be asking questions. If I do stop building will I save my own life? Will I gain the favor of these rulers? Will I be promoted in their eyes? Could they somehow grant me freedom?


In these questions we must remember our Great Answer: Jesus. He who "created the heavens, the highest heavens with all their stars, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them, and all the stars of heaven worship you." (Neh. 9:6) He who does not destroy or abandon us, though we deserve it. He who keeps his covenant with us. He who works on our behalf.

The truth is we are not King. We are not the Ruler of our lives or this world. I am not King over that person who irritates me. I do not have the right to punish or give them "what they deserve." And what's more, I have not been given what I deserve by my King, so how can I demand someone who offends me gets their punishment?


When questions arise of what will happen if we don't disobey we can hold fast to the promise of what will happen when we do obey: "Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don't give up." (Gal. 6:9) "Follow the whole instruction the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live, prosper, and have a long life in the land you possess." (Deut. 5:33) "Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life." (Prov. 22:4)

Let your God be the ruler of your heart. Let him rule your actions, your words, your thoughts. Let him rule over the fear that tempts you to disobey. And let the glorious reward coming to us from the Father be what reminds us that it is better to not know how the Lord will work when we obey, than to try to manipulate situations in disobedience. Truly, truly, truly our God reigns and he is for us, not against us.