Who do you call a friend?

(Nehemiah 13)

• 

The same as years ago in the scripture we have to look at how people who honored and respected God. There is such a resemblance from hundreds of years ago to today. When you think back to the times in your life that you were led astray, were there people in your life that were not loving God? Who did you hang out with? Who was in your main ‘circle’?

how ancient peoples were led astray

In Nehemiah 13 it is quite evident that the people in the city of Jerusalem were hanging out with the wrong crowd. Many people who were highly esteemed and trusted followers of God were led astray. This showed me that all of the education, information and status you may think you have does not compare to our flesh. God guides us and gives us strength and without Him we will be led astray.

In Nehemiah’s time those highly respected officials and priests were given important roles and jobs. They allowed their flesh to get in the way and they married unbelievers and had born children to not believe in God. And I am not saying just unbelievers, without knowledge, I am talking about people who believed their gods were in control. They invited nice, non-believers into their homes and intimate places designated for God.

falling away is a choice of influence

The languages changed as well. The children did not even understand the language of Judah! Their fathers could not even teach them about God! The Levites who were in charge of sermons and teachings, left Jerusalem and went home to work their fields instead. The Sabbath day was not kept a Holy day of rest; then to top off all of these changes, Tobiah (a non-believer and foreigner) was given a room directly in the temple!

who do you let in?

All of these changes may sound very trite compared to todays falling away, however as a Christ-Follower, who are you allowing into your circle of influence? Are you sacrificing some of your convictions and commands from God to “fit in” or to “keep peace” or to have friends?

God knows I struggle with who I let into my inner friendships. I have been down some pretty dark paths and I have allowed myself to be taken into sin like the best of us.

i see the pattern of my choices

I look back to my biggest mistakes, my most horrific sins and I see a pattern. A HUGE PATTERN! It was not that I walked alone in those times, I was close to my non-believing friends. I was closer to them than reaching to Christ. When I had marriage issues or parenting problems I would turn to these friends first. I held onto their advice and what they thought of me over what I knew Christ wanted for me.

you are who you hang with…

The fact is my dear friends is that you act, become and mold to who you hang with. The old adage says “you are who you hang with”, I believe this has a lot of merit. Even looking back to hundreds of years ago in Nehemiah’s time.

anything goes does not equal living your best life

Nehemiah has spoken about Gods commands to His people, to help them live their BEST LIVES. Now, Nehemiah comes back and sees chaos! The leadership had changed from Godly to worldly; where anything goes. Everyone was sacrificing to different gods and people were all trying to follow their own paths.

protecting our kids & their reaction

I love how Nehemiah chases out the people who are influencing the Israelites to sin. Any influence that was not of God is sent away. This makes me think about raising my kids and how awful it was to be enforcing rules and trying to compete with the influences of the world. It was for their protection, their good and yet was often met with so much contention.

uninviting people is hard

I find it interesting that Nehemiah doesn’t say how people reacted. He told them to purify themselves and then he talks about ripping men’s hair out and beating men! WHAT! I think he was a bit furious. So, I think I can conclude a lot of people fought him and argued back. Nehemiah actually drove out the foreign peoples. If that wouldn’t have been hard on the society at the time, I don’t know what would have. Could you imagine if in todays culture we drove out non-Christians from places, public places? Wow! I could see the lawsuits that would happen.

my inner circle is sacred

It is inspiring to me to think of the strength Nehemiah had to go up against people and say “Get out of here, you do not belong here!” I wish I had that kind of strength to do that years ago with some of the people I welcomed into my life. I am not blaming any of them for my OWN CHOICES, but my choices were influenced by their approval.

I should have only been looking to the approval of Christ. Circle of influences should have been held sacred. I need to be aware that even hard things like giving up friendships are acts of kindness towards God, who is my best friend.

i was a victim of bullying

Do you remember the bully in school? Or maybe there were mean girls? Did you ever think you should say something but you didn’t, you just go along with the status-quo to “keep out of it”? I was on the other end of those bullies, those mean girls.

I was the victim of terrible bullying. What would God would feel like on the other end of being bullied when I do not stand up for Him. I have allowed my friends to cut Him down, tease Him, make jokes and say they believe in the power of their own human flesh over the power of a “dead guy”.

i have to do better

What would God say to us when He asks why we didn’t stick up for Him? Why we choose to accept the bullies as our friends, instead of standing up for Him. I am mortified to think of my BEST FRIEND being treated so horribly and I have to do better to stand up for Him. Do you?