How To Face Critics

Nehemiah 1-7

Poor Nehemiah, he was just trying to do right by rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and helping to solve the injustice that was happening inside those gates. You would think that everyone would be praising him for his good deeds, but instead from some he faced criticism. Those fools Sanballat and Tobiah tried everything they could to get him to stop working.

1. First, they mocked him to his face.

2:19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?

Nehemiah's reaction: Boldness of God's Presence and His Enemies Worth

2:20 Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will rise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.
Hahahaha, I love it! Nehemiah put those fools in their place! "God's with us, his servants, and not you...now leave me alone!"

2. They mocked him behind his back.

4:1-3 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. And the spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make and end in a day? will they revive the stones out of heaps of the rubbish which are burned? Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.

Nehemiah's reaction: Prayer that God Would Take Care of Them

4:4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.

He just took it to God and asked Him to take care of them.

3. They planned physical attack.

4:8 And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.
Nehemiah's reaction: Prayed again, prepared to defend themselves, and encouraged his followers.

4:9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night because of them.

Nehemiah was prepared for a fight, and even had to stop for a little bit to defend themselves against these people. He reminded the Jews who was fighting for them and who they were fighting for.

4:14 "Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.

The enemies found out that their plans were known, so they couldn't surprise attack them like they planned, but Nehemiah and the builders continued the work...a hammer in one hand and a weapon in the other...always ready for a fight.

4. They tried the "buddy" approach.

6:2 ...let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.

Nehemiah's reaction: Remembered they were the enemies and continued working

6:3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? Yet they sent unto me four times after his sort; and I answered them after the same manner.

Nehemiah still continued working away and wouldn't be fooled by their antics.

5. They made up lies about him.

6:6 It is reported among the heathen....that thou and the Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou mayest be their king, according to these words.

Nehemiah's reaction: He called him out.

6:8 There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart

I think what I learn the most out of all this is that critics....are constant and they will constantly try to play on my emotions. But my work and mission (whatever it may be) is not decided on emotion, so therefore it cannot be swayed by emotion (fear, anger, jealousy, etc.). Nehemiah wouldn't have been able to stand against his critics if he wasn't sure that God had sent him to do the work. So actually it wasn't Nehemiah's reaction that was so important (other than I see that he never had an emotional reaction); it was his providence. He knew what God wanted him to do, and no matter what challenges he faced or critics he had to stand against; it did not waiver him.
Critics are sure to come when I try to do something for the Lord. Whether it's principles in which I have in raising children, how I dress, how I spend my time, etc. I must not let my critics play into my emotions. Emotions didn't cause me to believe what I believe so therefore emotions should not cause me to stop!