Character

 January 30, 2021

Nehemiah was a man of bold faith and character. He took his life in his hands asking the king to send him to Jerusalem, prayed and formulated a plan to rebuild the city walls, withstood opposition from enemies within and without, accomplished his goal, and then tackled the lax religious observance of the people. Everything he did, he did with energy and power. A man of prayer, he was also a man of action, combining religious observance with armed resistance. He refused to lay burdens upon his people for his work, like former president Trump refused to take a salary from the people. At the end of it all, the only thing he asked was for God to remember him. He didn’t need accolades, didn’t want riches, actually took a secondary place to others in the dedication of the city walls he had built (Neh. 12:38). 

It’s not an easy matter to work so hard and then slip into the background. Most men would welcome the honor. Not Nehemiah. I think it was Lincoln who said that the measure of a man’s character is not how he handles failure, but how he handles success. Too often, success is more of a downfall than failure. Failure builds us; success tests us. I’ve known both, and am thankful tonight for this reminder to not let success go to my head. May it be enough that my reward is that of Nehemiah: “Remember me, O God!”