Nehemiah 4:1 When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews.
Even if we pitch our tent in the moon, we will bounce into difficult people. There are some people who always seem to be angry, difficult to please and continuously looking for conflict. Ignore them, the battle they are fighting isn’t with you – it is with themselves. The Bible teaches us not just to tackle difficult people but to use their vicarious appetite to belittle, as manure to accomplish our mission. For today’s meditation, let us look at a difficult group who can be nicknamed as “Downers”. “Downers” get their energy by discouraging, degrading and demeaning others. Ridiculing and mocking is their way of talking. They complain, critique, and condemn.
Nehemiah was called to complete a massive building project to build the walls of Jerusalem that were torn down by war. Israel was in captivity and Nehemiah was born to Jewish parents in Persia. Nehemiah was a cupbearer, and a highly ranked trusted officer who served wine to the king of Persia. Since he had the ear of the king, he appealed for aid to rebuilding the rubbles of his hometown. Sanballat a Horonite, Tobiah an Ammonite, were the non-Jewish regional governors who also served the Persian king. The progress of Nehemiah’s project intimidated them hence, they ridiculed, mocked and devised divisive plans to disrupt the construction. The “Downers” Sanballat and Tobiah could neither discourage Nehemiah nor could they stop the project. Arrogance and smug ride on the horse of insecurity.
Three approaches to handle “Downers”:
- Vindictive: A vindictive accusation is a clear indication of ulterior motives. When the vocabulary of a person is nasty, malicious or bitter there is underlying resentment that is driving the comments. Most egotistical people are extremely insecure. Insecurity and fear infantilize the achievements of others. Downers are acidic as they are marinated in astringent. Don’t let the words of ‘downers’ dishearten confidence or dampen your enthusiasm. Nehemiah ignored their ridicule and reconstructed the wall. Ignore the vindictive brutality of ‘downers’.
- Victimize: A victimizing conclusion is not a constructive criticism. A constructive criticism will be suggestive and not inflictive. The conversation with ‘Dowers’ could start as a productive discussion but when the wind turns forceful and fierce, shut your ears to the shameful spits. If we allow the words of a ‘Downer’ to wound us, we will allow ourselves to be victimized. Fasten the doors of your ears to victimizing comments of the “Downers”.
- Vigilant: Be vigilant when you are around “Downers”. The battle is not between you and them, the battle is within themselves. The way they treat others is the way they treat themselves. When Paul warned the church “I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you” (Acts 20:29), he did not mean wolves but “Downers” who are controlled by demons who come to masticate faith and mutilate enthusiasm. Be vigilant to not become a victim to the venomous stings of ‘Downers’ .
Beware of ‘Downers’. “Downers’ have an insatiable hunger to scorn and criticize; don’t become their prey.
Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, make me vigilant not to be victimized or vandalized by ‘Downers’. I make a vow to You – never to entertain a scoffer, be amused by the mocker or wallow with the scorner. Amen.
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