Be Big! Be A Builder!

An old rock station I used to listen to when I was a teen often used this motto, "Be Big! Be a builder!" At the time I really had no idea what they were referring to, but the motto stuck with me. Later, after I answered the call of God to forsake my life and follow Him (a call that has been going out to all mankind since the dawn of time), this thought grabbed my attention in a new way. In the Bible the Book of Psalms is opened up with this verse in Psalm 1:1,

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers."

Do you see that last thought, "...or sit in the seat of mockers"? Over the years I have seen just how easy it is for me to criticize and judge others around me, and I hate to say it, but especially as a Christian. Why as a Christian, you might ask? Simply because the standard Jesus presents to the Body of Christ is a standard that in human terms can not be reached. So, instead of accessing the power we need to lift up this standard through faith, we tend to give way to our own "soul drift" by looking at others and judging their lack of attaining the standard Christ raises. After all, why would I want to look at my own sin when other's sins are so much easier to make note of? God forgive me - God forgive us! So, the thought comes again, "Be big! Be a builder!" In other words be a blessed man or woman by walking right past the seat of mockers and take up the position of a builder on the wall of God's Kingdom.

For the next several weeks I want to bring before you a man I have deeply respected over the years. He was not a contractor by trade, but he chose to be one because one was needed in a dire situation. In fact, he was a counselor to the highest level of leadership in a government he was serving. Yet, he gave up this prestige and position to be big - to be a builder! I am speaking of Nehemiah.

Nehemiah lived approximately 450 years prior to the birth of Christ. He was serving as a Jew in exile during the Babylonian captivity under King Artaxerxes. Because he served with integrity, he soon rose to a high level of trust in the king's "cabinet". By profession he was a Cupbearer, which meant he tested the king's drink before he drank it in order that no foul play would occur against the king (history indicates that King Artaxerxes' father was poisoned). However, his job did not simply consist of tasting drinks before they were drunk by the king, but it consisted of a high level of trust that the king leaned upon when he wanted counsel concerning something. He knew that in Nehemiah he would not hear what Nehemiah thought the king wanted to hear, but he would hear constructive thoughts that called things as he saw them, but also did not leave those things in that condition long.

So, what about you? Have you found yourself slipping into that "seat of mockers" lately and your gut is telling you, "This is wrong. God has called me to something better?" If so, I encourage you to take a cue from Nehemiah's life and choose to be a person who can be trusted by those you serve right now so that in time, when God helps you see something that needs your attention, you will be in a position to respond by being big! Being a builder!

My hope is that these thoughts will spur you towards a wonderful New Year in 2012 where you find yourself enjoying your work on the wall where God has assigned you!

Have a great week, Pastor Eric