Speaking At The Right Time

I love the book of Nehemiah. I am always excited when I read it. His passion and zeal for God’s glory and restoration among God’s people inspires me to the core. So, Jerusalem is broken down and its gates were destroyed by fire (Nehemiah 1:3). Nehemiah has a burden from the Lord to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and God opens up doors for him to carry out this task. However, I was pretty struck by how Nehemiah conducted himself after he had permission from his master to go to Jerusalem and inspect the walls.

Nehemiah 2:15-16, ESV Then I went up in the night by the valley and inspected the wall, and I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. And the officials did not know where I was gone or what I was doing, and I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest who were to do the work.

This is striking; Nehemiah travelled from Susa in Citadel to Jerusalem, a journey of 1230 km. This is no short journey. To me, it would have been logical for Nehemiah to inform others of the purposes of the trip to get the hearts and minds of people ready. However, that is not what Nehemiah did. Instead, he privately travels for three months, calls to Jerusalem, and even after arrival, he does not share his plans with others. He then goes to the wall and inspects it. Only after examining the wall and understanding what it would take to rebuild it does he speak to the people of Jerusalem, encouraging them to rise up and build (Nehemiah 2:18).

Nehemiah stayed quiet until he was ready to gather a team of people to get to work. It was not just a strategy to get the job done, it was a strategy to fight opposition to his plan effectively

So, what can we learn from this? Learn to examine and assess different situations you may encounter before making public announcements of your plans. Sometimes out of excitement, we prematurely announce things when we have no idea what it would take to implement or complete them. Those who are wise and not in a hurry to publicly reveal their plans tend to persevere longer and are successful at what they do because they spend their resources working rather than talking. They prefer to work before talking or to let their work do the talking.

Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. Proverbs 13:3, ESV

I am not saying that you should say absolutely nothing! But assess, examine and seek counsel where needed. Then, you may share it with whoever needs to be informed once you have done the necessary. The truth is that sometimes we put too much pressure on ourselves because of our public announcements. Technology today allows us to reveal things spontaneously whenever we like. Back in Nehemiah’s day, you had to get people together so you could publicly make announcements. It took a lot more effort to get people’s attention so you could share your plans. But today, public announcements are a click away. One click, and everyone in your community and beyond will know what you are up to. It takes humility to be disciplined in your excitement, to be quiet, and to make a reasonable assessment before making announcements.

Let’s take a step back and see how this may apply to our walk with the Lord. In Luke 9:62, Jesus says, “No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” For this reason, he urges people to count the cost of following Him before deciding to follow. None of us admires those who go back on their word or people who start something and give up halfway. We aspire to be people who keep our word and finish what we started. We need to take what Jesus said very seriously. Sit down and count the cost of every step you take in your life. Even in your walk with God, count the cost. Do not jump up in the excitement and end up like the seed that fell on rocky ground. Matthew 13:20-21, ESV The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.

Proverbs 29:20, ESV Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

It is true that a man who is hasty in words will speak out of control and make wrong judgements or conclusions on issues. It is equally true that a man hasty in words will raise expectations and make plans he has no capacity, strength or will to pursue. Guard your mouth while you take out time to make a reasonable judgment about your plans and goals. Telling everyone around you about every step you take may cause more harm than you can imagine. Nehemiah stayed quiet until he was ready to gather a team of people to get to work. It was not just a strategy to get the job done, it was a strategy to fight opposition to his plan effectively.

A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. Ecclesiastes 3:7,NLT (emphasis added)

Learn to examine and understand the time before speaking. There is a time and place for every word we speak. If it is time to stay silent and you speak or vice versa, you might be aiming for an undesirable outcome. Wisdom and discernment are required. If you need counsel, speak to wise people (see Seeking Wise Counsel). Approach wise people who will respect your confidentiality and privacy (if you so desire). May the Lord help us all, amen.