“So I pressed further, ‘What you are doing is not right. Should you not walk in the fear of our God in order to avoid being mocked by enemy nations?’” Nehemiah 5:9 NLT
We have read how brave Nehemiah had been in standing up against the attacks of their enemy, and here we see his bravery come out once again as he challenges his fellow Jews. Perhaps it’s because I recently opted to not engage/challenge/encourage a fellow brother in Christ on a particular matter that this verse stood out to me, but I know full well the reason that I did not do so. It is because I look up to him and fear the abundance of knowledge that he has, as his knowledge far surpasses mine.
But this verse reminded me that we are to walk in the fear of our God, not in the fear of man. Nehemiah did not first size up and look unto the gifts, abilities, and knowledge of the people he was speaking to, he looked unto the Lord. It was out of his reverence and his fear of the Lord that prompted Nehemiah to come out of silence and speak up.
May we always be mindful of who we are living for and to walk in reverence and fear of Him.
Lock Your Wings 
“The former governors, in contrast, had laid heavy burdens on the people, demanding a daily ration of food and wine, besides forty pieces of silver. Even their assistants took advantage of the people. But because I feared God, I did not act that way.”
Nehemiah 5:15 NLT
Just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t mean we should. Nehemiah chose to act in accordance to what God desired and not what others in his position had done. We need to be the positive example to others so that it makes them curious why we are different.
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