Day 13
…”What
are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they
sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the
heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that? Tobaiah the Ammonite was beside him,
and he said, “Yes, what they are building – if a fox goes up on it he will
break dow their stone wall!
Nehemiah
4:2-3
To
question one’s own ability seems fairly natural. In fact, questioning one’s own
ability for the purpose of getting better or recruiting help is a healthy thing.
However, when we allow these questions to paralyze us to the point of inaction,
it becomes unhealthy. The truth is, we well never answer every question we have
about our own qualifications, abilities, and skills.
As
Nehemiah began building the wall, he did not have a chance to question himself.
Sanballat and Tobiah did it for him. Clearly, there was nothing constructive
about the questions they asked. These questions were designed to create doubt
and destroy confidence.
It
is important for us to recognize that the devil will cause us, or someone else,
to ask the same type of questions about our ability. Notice the progression of questions
that were asked. The first was a personal insult; “what are the feeble Jews doing?”
Next, a question of ability; “will they restore it themselves?” Next a question
of faith; “will they [offer] sacrifice?” Next a question of ample time; “will
they restore it in a day?” Next a question of resourcing; “will they revive the
stones out of heaps of rubble?” And finally, a question of quality; “if a fox
goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!”
Not
a single one of these questions was rooted in faith. They were insults designed
to discourage. Be careful of the kind of questions you ask yourself or allow
others to ask you. Be a person of faith, not of doubt.
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