When you face opposition in your life, it can be ideological, it can be spiritual, but make no mistake, it will be personal and angry at some point. Let's figure out how to handle it together. Coming up right now on the Theory Today Show. You're listening to Clearview Today with Dr. Abadan Shah, the daily show that engages mind and heart for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I'm Ryan Hill. I'm John Galantis. Welcome to the Clearview Today Show. We're here in the studio with our host, Dr. Abadan Shah.
If you're listening for the very first time today, Dr. Shah is a PhD in New Testament textual criticism, professor at Carolina University author, full-time pastor, and the host of today's show. Dr. Shah got a great conversation for us today. Yes, we're talking about how to rebuild a work.
And this is in the context of church. or your personal business or life or marriage or family. I mean, this is about community. How can we rebuild? And Nehemiah is the prototype.
I mean, this is the book you need to study. And you will see that it is deeper than you realize. It's got the gospel in it, but it has some very practical tips on how to rebuild an institution, a church, your life, a family, everything. That perfect weaving of gospel and practicality. I mean, it's true of every book that we talked about through on the Cleaver Today Show, but especially, I feel like, with Nehemiah, it's been so applicable for those who are listening, who are in maybe a leadership position or who are looking at a project that they have to rebuild something or restore something.
Nehemiah, you said it best, Dr. Shaw, Nehemiah is the prototype and it gives us the pattern that we need to follow. That's exactly right. You know, we're telling the story of Nehemiah right now, but God's work is not done once the canon of scripture closes, right? There's no reason that God won't be telling your story or your story if you're listening to this one day.
Your testimony is one of the most powerful things that you have. And in times of trouble, Dr. Shaw, we typically look to, especially after someone has gone on to be with the Lord, their died, their legacy is more or less secure. That's what we look at, not the opposition that they faced. Yeah, that's right.
And we need to. to remember that that All those things that happen in your life that are unpleasant and painful and leave a bitter taste in your mouth, they are not ultimately what matters. What matters is that by God's grace, you persevered, you kept your eyes on the vision, you motivated yourself, you encouraged yourself in the Lord, and you kept pressing. And that's what Nehemiah does. In this building of the wall, what is amazing, you know, since you brought up testimony, the names of the people that are mentioned are very significant.
We noticed in the past couple of episodes that the priests were the first to build the walls. And they did not just build around the fish gate or some other important part of this, the surrounding of the city. They built it around the sheep gate because this is how they brought the sheep in for the sacrifices. And so this was very important. Yeah.
Yes, the water gate mattered. Yes, the fish gate mattered. The valley gate mattered. But the sheep gate would. Help the sacrifices to start again.
That's right. And maybe they were having them, but probably not as frequently because the sheep gate was blocked. And then the names of the people that are mentioned, it's beautiful to me that they were. Goldsmiths Some of them were city council people, county commissioners. Again, I'm using today's terminologies to help us understand people back then.
But they came together to construct the wall. around Jerusalem, they did not say, well, that's not me.
Now there is a group that did that. The nobles of the Tekoits did that. But unfortunately, they got called out. They got called out. And something else very important, That many of the people who were helping rebuild the walls around Jerusalem were not from Jerusalem.
They were from Jericho, they were the Techoites, they were from Gibeon. But they knew that Jerusalem had to be rebuilt. They knew that this is the city That's going to ultimately be the focal point. with the coming of The Son of God. They also knew that this is a city where one day, down the road, at the end of times, the son of David will sit on the throne.
They knew that this is going to be the new Jerusalem.
So we have to do this.
So they were very gospel-centered. And then, of course, we ended last episode talking about a couple of the names. Names like Merrimoth and names like Melkiah, These people did not have a good past. Either Through their family history or their own history. But they did not let that keep them from supporting the rebuilding of the walls.
They did it. And it was it's such a great testimony for all of us. don't let your past keep you. From what God has for you today. That's right.
That's right. And so, Sandballet and all of these people who are watching all this, right? Clearly, they're not going to be very happy about this coming together because we want the story to end there. We had opposition, these guys didn't like it. Nehemiah calls them out.
Now, the people have a mind to work. The end. Happy story. Yeah, it doesn't work well. Yeah, these three.
I know that they didn't look this way, but I picture Mo, Larry, and Curly. Yeah, that's a good idea. It's great for a Sam Ballot to buy and guess them. There's the three Stooges. The Stooges are like happy, lucky guys.
They're like the Three Stooges, but they're mad. Yeah, they're mad. They're just grumpy the whole time. I mean, yeah, we can joke about that. And I think it's funny: the Three Stooges, these people were the axis of evil.
Yeah. Imagine the worst dictators. communist, socialist, killing fields kind of people. They are Your opposition. That's whose sandballot Tobiah Geshem represented.
They wanted to annihilate the Jewish people.
So they're not going to see them doing well and be like, well, shucks, I guess we didn't succeed. Yeah, we give our best, we give our best shot, but it is what it is. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Right. No.
They're going to do whatever they can. That's right. And that's what Nehemiah chapter 4 is all about.
So I want to read for us verses 1 through 6. When Sandballad heard that we were rebuilding the wall. He became Angry. and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said.
What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble?
burned as they are? Tobiah the Ammonite.
Now, this really bothers me because this man was. At least by his name, Tov is good, Yah is God, God is good. You would think that this man would have some conscience, but he had gone over to the other side. It was done. He was like a Judas.
There was no coming back. Yeah. Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, What they are building? Even a fox climbing upon it would break down their wall of stone. Come on, bro.
Gosh. All that ain't called for. Yeah. A city that should have mattered a lot to you. Yeah.
And then Nehemiah says, Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders.
So We rebuilt the wall. till all of it reached half its height. For the people worked with all their heart. I think that prayer really says a lot, and it says a lot about where we stand as Christians. Because when people insult us, typically we're like, you know what?
I'm the bigger person. I'm bigger than that. I don't have to, you know, we try to play this game where I don't have to worry about it. And Nehemiah says, Hey, God, I don't like what they're saying. And I know you don't like what they're saying.
Turn those insults back right at them. Yeah. We wouldn't typically pray something like that. Yeah. Well, it's, I mean, they say that publicly to Nehemiah and to the people who are building there.
So Nehemiah's prayer is almost like a public rebuttal. It turns it back on them because all this was done in public. That's right. I'm going to back up and walk through that passage that we just read from Nehemiah chapter 4. And and really try to understand The intensity with which the hate, the ridicule came against God's people under Nehemiah.
You know what it says here in verse 1: when Sanbalat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. Literally it means he was hot. He was irritated. And he began to mock and make fun of the people rebuilding the wall. He was hot and he was irritated.
Like his anger was so palpable, it made his skin hot. Yeah, I've seen people like that. I mean, I've seen people. It in my own leadership positions that I have by God's grace had to occupy In the secular world and in the church ministry, when people get angry, I mean, they're angry. I've had people sit across from me angry at Ryan.
You were in one of those meetings. Yeah. And that man began to barrage me. I mean, very, very, very hateful. saying things to me And then he would watch to see if I was breaking.
And he said, You're not going to respond? I said, No, I'm here to hear from you. Because my policy right now, and I'm encouraging people who are listening, whether you're in a church context or you are in a. City council or county commissioners or some other elected office. Or you are in some parachurch ministry, or you are in a Corporate world.
In charge of a team, or you are in the armed forces, or you are in the medical field. Or you are you know, somewhere else. When somebody begins to do that, you have The option to either fight back. and just let 'em have it or say Okay. I'm listening.
Go ahead.
Now, in some situations, you have to walk away because there's nothing good going to come out of this. You have to say, I have to stop you there. let's pick this up later. Or We need to talk again, but not in this setting. And that may be just a kind way of saying we're done talking.
This is over. It's over. But sometimes you have to go, you know what? Because of who you are, and our past together, I'm gonna let you vent. What you're really doing is you're taking the gas out of there.
The tank. Because they are full-blown burning and they are, you know, if you've ever seen the oil wells in the desert and when the oil first comes out, I mean, they let it burn for a little bit before they cap it and they contain it, and then now they're beginning to drill properly. and and get you know, get the oil. But they let it burn. This is that burning phase.
You have to go well, a certain amount has to burn. Yeah. Yeah. Because it's too crude, it's too impure. We're going to let this roll.
Sometimes you have to do that with people like that. Is there ever a time when you respond that way? You let it burn, you kind of let them vent, and it ends up. Turning the conversation for the positive. Like they, they're, they get whatever this is out, their anger, they vent their anger, and then you're able to speak rationally with them.
Never. Mm. It doesn't work like that. All it does is pretty much empty them of all. The venom, the toxin.
This oil that Is ready for fire, all it does is pretty much let it burn, but their problem is not gone, no, no, no, because it's the problem of the heart, yeah. and the heart will find somewhere else to drill and get some oil and it'll be somebody else. Because there's something deeper, something wrong, something dysfunctional happening in their heart, which they need to get right with the Lord. But or get right with that person, but because they cannot face that person, because they cannot fire back and fight back with that person, you are that easy target.
So I can Either be humiliated by this other person. And be beat down, or I can beat you down and feel like at least I have fought back. People do that all the time. They will have a problem at work. and they'll go home and take it out on their spouse.
They'll take it out on the children. You say, what happened? Because somewhere someone dominated you, you had to dominate back. You cannot dominate that person who dominated you.
So I'm going to go home and dominate somebody else. I've done that. And then caught myself going, why am I angry? Why am I upset? Oh, wait.
Because of that. Yeah. And I have to say I'm sorry. That. I have zero excuse for that.
Apologize with an explanation. Yeah. Just apologize. Right. Say, I was wrong.
That shouldn't have happened. That has nothing to do with you. I'm wrong. But here with this person I decided to allow them to uh to just burn the gas. And they went on for what about an hour and a half?
Yeah, it was a solid ninety minutes. At least. Pretty constant in that 90 minutes, too. There were some breaks of you're not going to say anything, you're not going to respond, and then it was right back at it. And it woof, man, that was.
That was hard to sit and endure and listen to. And I wasn't on the receiving end of it.
So I can't imagine sitting across from someone like that. What did you think? There were several times that I wanted to fire back, and you told me, like, just sit there. Don't say anything. Just.
Just it. And it I mean, you're 100% right. It just the fuel ran out after after 90 minutes, it just sort of things just petered out and there wasn't really any fire left. And That person left. Kind of with their head hung.
Yeah, and it was kind of like, Are you okay? He asked me that. Yeah. I said, yeah. I'm okay.
Are you not going to respond back? I said, No, I'm going to pray over it. I didn't sit down and pray with that person because there's no spirit of unity there. There's no need to pray on that.
So I just said, I'll pray over that.
Okay. I've never talked to that person since then. Yeah, and it was not one instance, it was anything that they could grasp to throw. And a lot of false information, a lot of Uh Just just lies. And I was like, And there were times that I wanted to say, wait a minute, let me correct you there.
But The Holy Spirit said, this is your moment to keep quiet. And I just kept quiet. I really. I've always respected you and I've always admired you. But after that instance, my level of admiration with how you handled that threw the roof.
I mean, that was incredible to sit and watch. And I've never been in a situation like that, but if that ever arises, That's my template. That was incredible to watch how you so expertly navigated that and handled that without exploding in anger, without retaliating, but just. Allowing that person to empty themselves of fuel. But let me just clarify.
Not every person who is ready to bombard you deserves that. I want to clarify that. There are times you have to say, nope, wait. We're not talking about that. And you're not going to talk like that.
You got to go. Or we're going to set up another time. But this one particular one demanded that because This person knew better. This person had more sense And yet, this person was acting this way. I felt that If you do have the Spirit of God, if you do have the wisdom that I thought at one time you did, Then maybe what you do to day and what you're doing right now for this hour and a half, may one day come back to you and you will truly examine your heart and deal with the real problem.
Because the real problem wasn't me. With someone else, someone else in his own life. And that was the problem.
So I allowed that. Again, I want to clarify to people who are listening or watching. This is not the tactic every single time that someone wants to bombard you. Go ahead and bring it.
Someone may say something to you, and you may break down. And you don't need to do that. Yeah. This particular person needed that. I said, go for it.
But what were we going to ask, Ryan, John? Oh, I was going to say, was this a situation where, like, because we know that there is a template of don't correct a fool according to his folly. But this seems to be something different where this person's not a fool. This is a person that at one time was a friend and a brother. Right.
Or so I thought. Right. So for someone who's listening and they're thinking, man, I'm young in my. Pastoral ministry. I'm young being in a leadership position.
This hasn't happened to me yet. Right. Do I need to prepare for this? Is this a guarantee? Is this going to happen?
Maybe. It may happen. I'm not going to say this will definitely happen. If you just coast through life and if you just stay under the radar and never do anything worth doing, maybe not. Yeah.
And maybe that's all you want to do in life. I'm very sad for you because. God did not put you in that position with the walls broken down and the gates burned with fire for you to just sit there and say, Well, you know, let me just stay down here because Sanbalat may get onto me, and Tobiah may be angry with me, and Geshem may attack me. No you need to step up And do what God wants you to do.
So I'm not sure if this will happen to everyone, but it It does happen. Yeah. And I'm not the only one. Who's that that's happened to? Yeah.
And so, you know, San Balat kind of takes a different approach, like, because he has this anger, but he turns it into mocking. He turns it into like ridicule. Yeah. And I think even maybe you can, maybe you would agree with this that there is some level, like anytime that happens, there's in the heart, there is some level of mockery and some ridicule because they're taking this morally superior position to you and beating down on you.
So even if they're not externally laughing at you, there is this level of urine down on you. Yeah. Right. You know, ridicule or mockery is Satan's choice weapon to discourage and dishearten God's people. ridicule or mockery.
It's happened to me. A smirk on the face, a little you know, cupping the hand like this and talking to a neighbor. Things like that. And It's sad when God's people do it. It's sad when the world does it, but it's really sad when God's people do it.
Yeah, I was about to say, like, I know you were teaching physics for a while in high school for just like a, like a, just like a helping out a school. And that was one of the things that you see teenagers do, like, when you're up there teaching, like, but then imagine seeing 50-year-olds, 60-year-olds sitting in church doing it. Yeah. That's crazy to me.
Well, that goes back to the argument. Like, you ought to know better. Yeah. Or in a corporate boardroom sitting across when somebody, a new CEO or a new person. a new supervisor trying to bring some change.
They may not know everything, but they're trying to make some things happen and you're doing that. You're trying to undermine that person by ridicule or mockery. You know, Shakespeare called ridicule Paper Bullets of the Brain. Wow. I like that.
Now, they're not real bullets. They're not going to kill you. But they hurt definitely. They'll hurt. They will absolutely hurt.
Yeah. Scottish philosopher Thomas Carlyle once said that ridicule is the language of the devil. I believe it. Yeah. And as believers, I mean, is that what you want to speak?
Is that the kind of thing you want to wield, the language of the devil? And then Warren Wearsby, who was the pastor of Moody Memorial Church, Back to the Bible, all his B series, he said that some people who can stand bravely when they are shot at will collapse When they're laughed at, I believe that. Yeah. Yeah, I definitely believe that. I think I've seen, like in my life, the people who, you know, people didn't really ridicule me until I was here.
You know what I'm saying? Where things are. Things are happening. Things are going well. And I think a lot of times they hurt because they're zeroing in on that one nugget of truth.
You know what I mean? Like if someone told me, like, I don't know. If someone just made something up completely about me that never happened and they ridiculed me for it, it wouldn't hold much weight. But they zero in on something that you're already a little insecure about. Right.
That you're already thinking about. Yeah, I think there's a difference if you're picking with friends, if you're joking back and forth. You know, there's a level where friends pick on each other, but that ridicule where it. It really hits that area of insecurity. It really hits that area where you're very sensitive.
That stings and it lasts for a while. Yeah, like if I was to be like, man, Dr. Shaw, man, I don't know what's going on with that green hair. He dyed his stinking hair green. It looks so stupid.
It would hold no weight. Right. But if someone's like, you know, he's not the leader he thinks he is.
Now that's something real. That hurts. That's something that people. Already wonder and struggle with. And church people, I think, are the world's worst of knowing.
Of knowing, because they are with you all the time, they're with you every week. And man. It can really hurt you. Yeah. It can really hurt you.
You know, a sound engineer asks: do insults only hold weight if you give them weight? And I don't think so. I think they hold weight whether you give them weight or not. they they hurt because People who know how to insult will find that point Where you are the most vulnerable. where it Really?
Cuts to the heart. where there are some nerves, and they will touch that. And that will hurt. I want to challenge you and encourage you, really, not challenge as much as encourage you. If you are that person who has been around that behavior.
And you have done that to somebody, or you're doing that to somebody in a business meeting, in a. Team meeting. or in a company Conference or something, you like to find someone. Around the table, around the room that you can lock eyes with and smirk and roll your eyes, and just know that it's a very, very childish behavior. Don't do that.
It's not Saying much about you. You get one shot at life. Don't do the things. that represent more a middle school And if I could add something there, I would like to find a leader who knows your insecurities and actually builds you up on it. One of the things I'm insecure about is the way that I ramble, you know, the way that I can't communicate clearly my point.
And yesterday I was talking to Dr. Sean. He said, you know, when you're on this radio show, you sound really, really great. There are better ways to do it when you're on stage or when you're with your team. And, you know, he gave me a couple of books.
We talked about it for a little bit, but that could have easily become something that I went home and took personally. Instead, I now feel empowered. You know what I mean? I now feel empowered to get better at this thing that we do called ministry. That's right.
And people have helped me over the years. And I can tell you from personal example. Yeah. I did not always take it well. When people corrected me, I walked away thanking them, very.
very politely and Pretending to be sincere, thank you so much. That really helped. But I walked away going, you don't get it. You just don't get it. And that's all right.
Yeah. I'm never going to call you again. I'm never going to ask for your advice again. And then I found myself. Calling and asking advice.
And I got an advice that By the way, the previous one that they gave me actually worked. But in the moment, I didn't like it. And then called again. and got my feelings hurt again. And I thought, hmm.
Well Um that's it. I'm done. And then the advice they gave actually worked again. And I'm thinking. The saying what's right.
I'm the one who needs to grow up, be mature. and begin to make some changes in my life, or I'm going to stay the same that I am at forty-five that I will be at 85. Do you think a lot of people don't make it to that stage? Like a lot of leaders don't make it to that stage. Do you think they just keep it personal?
Yeah, because they. Yeah. too strong or they haven't had people around their lives who corrected them. They were afraid to correct them because they're afraid either you'll crash or you'll get angry.
So they're like, oh, just let them do their thing. And talent is a wonderful thing. Intelligence is a wonderful thing, but that can also become a deadly weapon against you. Yes, yes. Because people may not touch you because of your talent and your intelligence, and they're going to say, All right, let's leave him alone because this is as good as it gets.
If we lose that, then then What are we going to do? That doesn't help you, that doesn't help me. Because I want to be the best that God wants me to be in this life. That's right. And not allow my own hang-ups to get in the way of what God is doing through people in my life.
That's right. He has placed those people in my life to help me. and I need to humble myself. and receive their help. Amen.
Amen. Understanding that difference between critique and criticism and knowing who it comes from, knowing their heart, knowing when to say, hey, that's not correct, and then knowing when to actually listen and allow that criticism to shape you and to transform you into the person God wants you to be. Amen. And we hope that you guys are benefiting from these conversations. And just know, if you are a leader in any capacity, something like this is going to happen to you.
We want you to be prepared and we want you to take the word of God with you into every situation you're likely to face. That's right. Make sure you guys are following. along as we continue this conversation through the book of Nehemiah, understand how he handles these three opponents and continues the project of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Make sure you're sharing these episodes with your friends and your loved ones.
And don't forget that you can support us financially here at the Clearview Today Show at Abadanshah.com forward slash give. That's right. Big thank you to everyone who is supporting us every single month on Pray.com and on Abadanshah.com. I'll just remind you that the Robinson Pierpont 2026 Byzantine text form, that's the original Greek New Testament, is available for pre-order right now at the link in the description. Thank you to everyone who's already pre-ordered, and you can get your copy today right there at the link below.
That's right. We love you guys. We'll see you tomorrow on Clear Beat Today.
