A SWORD AND A STONE

Nehemiah was at a loss for words. He stared at the messenger standing before him, with fear written all over his face. It was the second time this week. he could not believe that his rivals would go to that extent. first they tried to intimidate his men and now they were threatening them. What a cheek!
He furiously walked to the foyer leaving the stunned messenger behind. He knew he needed to make a decision and fast.

Just a few months before, Nehemiah had come back to his old town. His intention was to empower the local people and he had particularly felt disappointed by the old wall that lay in ruins years after the various attacks on his village. The attacks had left many of his family friends internally displaced while others had run off to the neighboring cities and villages. Still , others had been taken as slaves by their enemies. He was lucky that his family had been among the few that had escaped the village.
He had largely grown up in the city and had a good job with the government but he couldn't shake off the desire to go back to his people. His work colleagues thought that he was merely canvassing support to get himself a political office. But he knew better. In all the years he had been exiled, the memories of playing by that great wall never left his mind.
Nehemiah smiled as he remembered that one time when he was about ten years old, his friend Ezra had convinced him that over the other side of the wall lay all the cheese cake he would ever want. oh, he loved cheese cake. they spent the next several days throwing stones over the wall to ascertain just how high the wall is and then they decided at the end of the week that Nehemiah would try to climb over the wall and Ezra would keep watch and warn him in case his mother started looking for him. Well, he never got the cheese cake. what he got instead was a broken arm and a thorough beating from his mother. His mother. he missed her. since the war he had rarely seen her and he heard a few years ago from an acquaintance that she had passed on. He quickly wiped the tears welling in his eyes determined that he would rebuild that wall, if not for anything; then for the memory of his mother.

Nehemiah had gone to his boss and requested some leave so he could go back home and take care of business. He was pleasantly surprised when his employer not only approved his leave but also gave him access to all the government services that he would need.

'I will not let those foxes stop me' he said to himself.
'jude, come here quick!' he bellowed to the messenger that had been patiently waiting on the next instruction.
With the instruction given, Nehemiah walked back into the living with a satisfied smirk on his face. Revenge is sweet, he kept thinking to himself.

over the next months, with Nehemiah's strategy in place, the workers were able to build over half of the wall that had collapsed. they worked relentlessly day and night until the completion of the work. In a few weeks, it would be the dedication of the wall by the prophet Ezra and Nehemiah could not begin to imagine how they had come, the threats and intimidation they had endured and despite it all, they had come out victorious.
At the dedication ceremony, Nehemiah had to choke back the tears of appreciation as he recounted how the workers worked day and night with a sword on one hand and the building material on the other just so the wall would be completed and the people would have something to be proud of.

He looked at the wall built with a sword and a stone standing proud and majestic and at that moment he felt that all he had accomplished all he was called to do.

* * * *

the above is a true story as recorded in the annuls of history and retold from my perspective. It captures the essence of living a life with a purpose, a goal.

the truth is as we get down to living out our lives, we will have detractors, haters, naysayers, mockers...you name it. The minute you purpose to work out your gift and become a blessing to the generations after you, expect all hell to break loose.why, because pursuit of purpose is more spiritual than you ever imagine. You will battle with feelings of inadequacy, loneliness, sadness, rejection and a host of many others. You will meet people that will look at you straight in the face and tell you that you cannot make it. Oh, they will produce "evidence" proving that you are the least qualified for the task you are embarking on.
the thing is, you cannot stop to explain yourself, you cannot afford to listen to your detractors for their aim is to derail you. Keep forging ahead with your sword in hand and commit to finishing the good work began in your life.

whenever you feel discouraged, remember this story Nehemiah...an ordinary man that did an extra ordinary thing. Let his story strengthen you to keep fighting to get to where you need to be.
You might not be where you want but thank God you are not where you used to be.
Keep fighting. Keep going. Keep believing. Generations after you will celebrate your life.

m.