Nehemiah 2:17 - Desensitized
“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.” I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.” (Nehemiah 2:17 NIV)
by Chris
Jerusalem had been in ruins for over 100 years. There was once a time when someone tried to rebuild the city gates, but was stopped by enemies.
So they stopped trying and just lived with it.
In doing so they passed the same mindset down to generations to come. They eventually got comfortable with not having gates to protect them and became numb to just how bad their situation was.
What small sin have you ignored over time and have become comfortable with? This small sin rarely stays small. The longer it goes ignored, the larger it grows in your life. Until eventually you stop trying to fight it and just accept it’s presence in your life as truth.
This is why the people of Jerusalem needed someone from the outside (Nehemiah) to make them look at their situation again so they can realize just how bad it was.
Nehemiah had both a vision to identify what was wrong, the heart to help, and the will to make a change.
But he knew he couldn’t do it alone. He needed the people to participate in their own deliverance. I’ve summarized his approach below:
- Identification - asked them to notice the obvious
- Empathy - he took on their issue as his own
- Partnership - asked them to build with him
- Results - he pointed out the result of their work
- Encouraged - he encouraged them in the Lord
Brothers, we can use this framework in our lives as well with the people around us who are desensitized to their sinful lifestyles.
With the power of television, movies, ads, and music; our society is becoming desensitized to just how bad sin is. The world is trying to condition us to accept it as normal.
As mighty men of valor we must not conform to the world’s ways, but speak against them. Reach out to them in the same manner that Nehemiah did.
Then help rebuild the walls in their lives that sin has torn down.
Lets pray...
“Lord thank you for correction from others. Give us the heart to accept it when brought to us since we often lack the ability to identify the changes we need to make in our lives. Let us never become comfortable with any amount of sin in our lives. Strengthen us to become the mighty men you have called us to be and speak out against the sin in the lives of others and help them rebuild their lives. We know it is by no strength or goodness of our own, but by the power of your Spirit. In Jesus name we pray...Amen”
When is the last time you forwarded or shared one of these devotionals with somebody? Think of someone today that could use an encouraging word and send this devotional to them.
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