Trowel in one hand, sword in the other

“They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.” (Nehemiah 4:17)

Good Monday, my friend.

As I awoke this morning and scanned the headlines (which I seldom do), I read with a heavy heart of yet another church shooting. I don’t like to read of any shootings – whether it involves just one person or multiple. But how sad that we cannot even feel safe within the sacred walls of our churches anymore!

I come to you today with both words of encouragement and direction. I would say warning, but that smacks of fear – fear that cripples us, that entraps us, and weakens us. That is not my intention in any way. Fear is swallowed up in love and in action. Let me share with you some thoughts today, my friend, to help us along this road of life together.

We have all watched our societies – both nationally and internationally – crumble under dark forces. Of course you know, I grew up in a rural community. That gives me a different perspective than those of you who grew up in urban areas, so bear with me. It used to be (and still is in some places) that when you drove down the highway and met someone coming from the opposite direction, you would wave (even if it was just raising your index finger). We knew our neighbors, we knew the people who brought a certain flair to our communities, we cared about and watched out for one another. Those of us who were privileged to grow up in church were active (for the most part). We knew each others’ families, we had carry-in dinners, we visited each others’ homes. When someone was missing for a week or two, they received, at the very least, a postcard or a phone call checking on them. Then there was an illness or a death in one of our families, we all pitched in with dinners provided to the family while they recovered or mourned. We truly cared for one another – even the old, grouchy ones, because we knew everyone had value and was precious in the eyes of God. For those who grew up in the projects or in major cities, each community (ethnic or otherwise) took care of each other and watched over each other’s things. The Jewish community is tight-knit, the Italian community sticks together, the Chinese, the Polish – each community watches over its people. That’s the way we, as Christians, are supposed to be. Sadly, we have seemed to have followed the world into the abyss.

We are told in scripture to not neglect the assembling of ourselves together, more and more as the day of the Lord approaches. Many are afraid to read the Book of Revelations because of the fear it seems to invoke – bowls, and vials, and seals, and beasts, and persecution. I understand how they feel because it used to do that to me. Granted, it’s not my leisurely reading; however, it no longer stirs up fear within me as it used to. The prophets of old, Jesus, and everyone since has warned us of the deepening dangers and pressures that have already begun to fall upon us as the end of the Church Age is coming to a close. This most recent headline merely supports scripture in that.

The passage I quoted today is from the rebuilding of the walls around Jerusalem during the Israelites period of captivity. They were attempting to rebuild and prepare for their deliverance and what we would now recognize as the beautiful city of God – still prominently displayed before the eyes of the world. In reading through this whole account, we find that as the people of Israel rebuilt those walls from the rubble, their enemies began spreading lies and rumors amongst the local people and putting fear into the mind of the leaders of that area. They were being falsely accused, lied about, and physically prevented or hampered in their efforts. Many of us this very day are under the same type of attacks. I have a brother, a fellow-pastor, who is being maliciously attacked - by the members of his own church - for preaching the whole gospel, the unfiltered, undiluted, pure Word of God. Some of the people within his congregation have become offended by his messages, so they have begun to either dig up things from his past (we ALL have a past, by the way) or make things up. Quite similar to accounts we read in scripture of what happened to Jesus, to Peter and John, and to others. How are we to respond to these attacks?

The pious among us would quote, “Pray for those who despitefully use you.” Others would tell us to “Turn the other cheek.” While these are so holy sounding, they are hardly fitting for every circumstance. Yes, we are to pray for our enemies – even if they wear the same denominational name tag we do. Sure, we are to pray for their souls and ask God to help them, to heal them, to show them the truth. And we do. Yet, there comes a time for action. Being a Christian isn’t about rolling over and playing dead, or letting people use us as doormats. Of course, we aren’t called to load the AK-47 and go hunting them down, either. So what does our passage today tell us?

We read that those who were actively rebuilding the walls and the city worked with a trowel (or a building tool) in one hand and a sword in the other. We also read that they took shifts and watched out for those who were working, protecting them as they did what they were called to do. They were appointed and commissioned by God to finish this work, so to stop and fight every attack would cease production. But to work without protection and defense would be to die needlessly – and to also fail to complete the task.

Brothers and sisters, my friends, it is time we went back to some of the old ways again. We need to look out for one another. We need to talk to each other. We need to be aware of what’s going on around us. We need to come together and pray for one another, lifting each other up, encouraging each other, comforting each other – LOVING EACH OTHER. Oddly enough, even discipline falls under the umbrella of loving. To help someone by pointing them in the right direction, by showing them (perhaps) an error of which they may be unaware in their lives, and yes, by shunning them, if needed, for awhile. We must be concerned with the Body of Christ and protect it at all costs. I encourage you today, dear one, to pray that God will guide you into all truth in this matter and show you how you, too, can be a part of supporting your local body, of helping others in their hour of need. Love covers a multitude of sins – so says the Word. I would also add, it saves many lives. Maybe it would have helped save the lives of these about which we read this morning.

Be blessed.