Elitism

 June 22, 2021

“Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.” That old saying came to mind as I was reading Nehemiah this morning. Whenever God’s people move from talk to walk, opposition will arise. It wasn’t until the Jews actually started building the wall that the trouble started, and it didn’t all come from the other side. Sometimes the greatest enemy comes from within.

Nehemiah 3:5-–“The nobles did not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord.” Everyone was busy except these elitists who like most privileged people, were more used to telling others what to do than doing it themselves. While the work of building the wall was going on, they sat on the sidelines watching. So what were these nobles doing all that time? The text doesn’t tell us, but it seems that when trouble came in, they went into hiding. In chapter 4 verse 4, when trouble arose, they were the first Nehemiah had to admonish, “Don’t be afraid…Remember the Lord, awesome and great, and fight for your brothers, sons, daughters, wives, and houses.” They had heard the threats, but not having any skin in the game of the rebuilding of the wall, the anticipated trouble became magnified in their eyes. Too much time to think has been the downfall of many a good work. Inactivity breeds fear. Those rowing the boat don’t have time to rock it. Sitting around doing nothing gives people too much time that doesn’t often get invested in holy moments. The Scriptures don’t say as much, but I wouldn’t be surprised if those nobles were adept at telling the workers how to build what they themselves were unwilling to build. 

The answer to fear is, “Remember the Lord, great and awesome. And fight.” In chapter four, verse 14, these very same people who wouldn’t lift a finger to help were oppressing their own countrymen. Fear not only keeps us from doing what we should, it pushes us in the opposite direction, willing to hurt others in our instinct for self-preservation. We hunker down and look out for “Number One” even if it destroys someone else. Only when we remember that God is great and awesome and in control will we be bold and brave enough to stand up to opposition instead of cowering and bullying those weaker or more vulnerable than ourselves.