Ignore Criticism; Follow God
"When the Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews."
-- Nehemiah 4:1
It isn't fun to be criticized and ridiculed. That's especially disheartening when you're trying to do the right thing and others want to stop it. Nehemiah certainly knew about opposition. The Samarians didn't want the Jews to rebuild the wall. But God did. So they rebuilt the wall.
Ever been ridiculed for your faith? There's a good chance you have. That co-worker couldn't believe you missed the game to attend bible study. A family member wants you to skip church for a day at the beach. A friend stares at you in disbelief when you refuse to gossip about another friend. Yeah. Sometimes people don't like it when you're living your faith.
Of course, you can be ridiculed for other things as well. My father once made fun of me for painting a dresser Wild Orchid. The little girl who fell in love with it thought it was awesome. I was pretty happy when her parents paid me for it too. What is right or wrong sometimes depends on your perspective.
We have to do what we know is right, no matter what other people think. When God calls us to a certain path, take that path. Don't veer to the right or to the left. Stay focused on Him. Doing right sometimes threatens people. They feel more secure when we follow their lead -- even when they're clearly heading down the wrong path.
Stand strong in the face of ridicule and opposition. Do what you know is right. Follow God. He will lead you to victory every time.
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