Overcoming The Sting of Mockery

Afterwards, I said to them,"You see what a sad state we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins, with its gates burned up.  Come, let's rebuild the wall of Jerusalem  so that we won't continue in disgrace..." They said, "Let's start building at once", and energetically set out to do this good work.  When Sanvalat the Horoni, Toviyah the servant, the Amoni, and Gershem heard about it, they began mocking us and jeering."  Nehemiah 2:17-19

Often times the work of God is carried on in a manner that is not consistent with the existing power structure, and at other times it is.  We are informed by the Scriptures that the powers that exist are ordained by God.

Yes, we may hold very different views about history, and so does God.  God is not only involved in religious history.  He is also involved in world history too.  The Scriptures do not have the artificial division of the Sacred and the Secular with regard to history.

When the fullness of the time had come God called Nehemiah to returned to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls thereof that had been torn down and ravaged by fire in the siege of  596 B.C. by the Babylonians.  Nehemiah was the one chosen by God for this great work.  Nehemiah was a great and able leader who knew how to organize and motivate others to unite for a noble common purpose.

This work of God would need such a man because of the great opposition that the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem would attract.

It is important to realize that God knows the opposition that will come against those who are doing his will.  God understands the strategies that will be used to hinder and tear down resolve to do his will.  The initial strategy that was used against the resolve of the builders was mockery.

Mockery is a form of psychological abuse that means to treat with contempt, or imitate.  Furthermore mockery is speech expressing ridicule or scorn. It is also the act of manifesting contempt.  This is a very serious psychological weapon that is designed to weaken resolve for a particular purpose.

If you have even been the object of this type of persecution then you know its potentially devastating power.  More than mental toughness is required to withstand the withering ferocity of mockery.  One must also understand the nature of this type of spiritual attack.

Mockery is a search and destroy tactic that looks for character traits that are vulnerable to its spiteful rhetoric.  If a single individual can be rendered weak to the poison of mockery then its disease can spread accordingly.

Nehemiah, as a wise and able leader, understood the formidable power of mockery. Therefore he countered this attack by the enemy with his well thought out answer.  Nehemiah said, "The God of heaven will enable us to succeed.  Therefore, we, his servants will set about rebuilding.  But you have no share, right or history to commemorate in Jerusalem (v. 20)."

Nehemiah's words recognised the presence of God in the work, and therefore the power of God.  The work that the enemy was attempting to overthrow was not merely the work of man. The enemy was made aware that the mockery that was so generously being heaped upon the builders was also against the God of heaven too.

This word-war was very unwise and would end badly for the mockers.  How would they fight against God?  Nehemiah let the enemy know that the battle is the Lord's.

Beloved, know that if you have been the victim of mockery you are not alone.  God is with you.  You may react defensively to the attack of mockery if you are being bullied.  Bullies often use mockery.  It is a terrible and effective weapon.

Nehemiah knew that if he did not confront the threat of mockery there may have been some peace within the ranks of his people for a short period of time, but in the long run, the threat of mockery would become the ruinous work of mockery.

Passivity is never the way to handle mockery.  If you notice carefully, Nehemiah did not threaten the enemy.  On the contrary, he wisely put them on notice that they were attempting to heap scorn and contempt upon the work of God.

Nehemiah's approach was to confront a negative with a positive.  He built up the people and reinforced their resiliency by handling a potential problem with rich emotional intelligence coupled with uncompromising executive insight.  Nehemiah did not let anyone think down upon him or think around him.  Nehemiah was a master of game theory without treacherous intent.

Beloved, if you have been hurt by mockery you have a way to unburden your heart. My prayer prescription to you is to go before the throne of God and tell him all about it.  God can remove the emotional scarring  that mockery has placed in your life.

Keep on bringing the cruelty of mockery that you have suffered before Him until you know it has been removed from your life.  Actively resist the temptation of inactivity.  Do something about such life-altering and life-controlling pain.  Bring it before God.  Blessings to you.

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