Being the Opposition

Ezra 4: ³ But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”

⁴ Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building. ⁵ They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.

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After our meeting, we parted with our plan to build it ourselves. Our boss’s, boss’s boss was taking too long to give us the funding we needed so we found a way to get the work done without internal funding. We worked hard and, at the convention, our project was the big hit!

We won the battle but later found out we lost the war.  Internal opposition grew. It was harder to get things done and department after department met us with frowns. We were the opposition instead of the solution.

• Sometimes I think I am providing solutions when I am really opposing.
• Sometimes I think I am helping when I am really hurting.
• Sometimes I think I am part of the team when really I am part of a mob.

Challenging the norm is quite alright if done the right way. If the norm isn’t challenged, then innovation can’t happen. BUT I must consider when and where this is appropriate. The officials thought they were doing the right thing by opposing the rebuild of Jerusalem in the passage but in reality they were opposing what GOD had ordained.

• GOD wants me to consult HIM before I go into battle.
• GOD wants me to be humble before HIM to chart my course.
• GOD wants me to look for unity instead of opposition.

In the fight for power it is taught to collect as many people on my side as possible then I can be successful. BUT GOD says all I need is HIM on my side to be successful. This means I need to rely on tools that don’t seem like they would work. HE wants me to rely on humility, peace, love, kindness and compassion.

The world would look at that type of person as a sap, BUT GOD loves those who pursue HIS ways and look to HIM for protection.

• Are you the opposition?
• Do you talk about “that” person?
• Can you spit out your poison and speak about them with grace?
• Will you work on unity instead of ‘winning?”