Lessons from Nehemiah Illustrated by this short fable...
This story may have been around for awhile, and we tried to find the original source. It makes a good point for those beleaguered by nay-sayers, pessimists and bedevilling opposition...
Once upon a time there was a community of frogs who decided to arrange a meeting to discuss great plans for some friendly recreation and competition. They decided to have a race and they invited all the animals of the woods and the river to spectate. The great frog race would be to reach the top of the water tower near their river. It was a very high tower indeed.
The idea seemed splendid and was communicated rapidly. It was received with the expected enthusiasm!
A big crowd of all the animals gathered around the water tower to see the great frog race and cheer on the "hoppy" contestants.
The race began. As it proceeded, the fans began to sense that no one in crowd really believed that any of the frogs would reach the top of the tower.
They began to hear jeering and cat calls (literally) such as:
"Oh, WAY too difficult!!"
"They will NEVER make it to the top."
"Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high! What a joke!"
And alas, one by one the ambitious frogs began collapsing and sliding back down the gray steel legs of the water tower. Some fell right off and were nearly killed from the impact! But they croaked after gaining their wits and hopped away - a bit discouraged.
But there were a few, who in a fresh tempo, were climbing higher and higher.
The concerned crowd, seeing the near death of so many other frogs started to yell, "Stop! It is too dangerous and honestly, ridiculous!"
"No one will make it!"
Even the bullheads, who never leave their bottom dwellings surfaced to belch out disapproval.
More and more frogs got tired and finally gave up until they all gave up!
EXCEPT ONE! This ambitious amphibian continued higher and higher and higher....
It would not give up!
After a big final effort, this one frog was the only one who reached the top!
Naturally, all the animals around the water tower went wild cheering and ranting and squawking!
Everyone wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it. It was a miraculous feat and worth the visit to the water tower!
A raven flew up to the top of the tower to help the frog down and to do a victory lap over the adoring wildlife. He asked the frog again and again and again how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the top of the water tower. But the frog didn't answer.
The raven finally plopped the frog down. The adoring crowd around him gave him high fives and patted him on his slippery back with warm admiration.
The crowd kept asking him again and again how he did it. Finally, one of the other frogs blurted out "Hey! That's my brother! He can't hear you! He's deaf!"
And that is why he won! He didn't hear the jeers, the sneers and the fears! He just kept on climbing, one hop at a time until he reached the top!
And the moral of this story is:
Never be deaf to God's Word - but be deaf to the voices of those who would pull your focus away from the Lord's work.
When God has clear goals and plans for your life, do not listen to other people's negative or pessimistic words. These influences can take God's most wonderful dreams and plans away from you -- the ones the Lord may have placed in your heart!
Be DEAF to people that tell you that you cannot fulfill God's will! Be sure it is God's will and not your selfish ambition. Do not be deaf to those who show you God's Word!
Learn from Nehemiah
But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it, they mocked and ridiculed us. "What is this you are doing?" they asked. "Are you rebelling against the king?"
I answered them by saying, "The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in
Nehemiah 2:10, 19-20
For Further Study - Hop to it!
Nehemiah 4:1-7
Nehemiah 6:1-14
Nehemiah 13:28
Proverbs 13:20
Proverbs 14:7
Proverbs 27:9
Romans 16:17-21
In him,
Jerry Maday
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