100 Days with Jesus -- Does Someone Need You to Stand by Him Today?

Day 33


I’m continuing to study the book of Nehemiah. It’s one of my favorite books and has such depth of wisdom for anyone that wants to know more about being a good leader and manager. In Chapter 5, Nehemiah talks about how the people, after having been treated so poorly by their captors in the past, are now being taken advantage of by their own people. They were being charged high rates of interest for money they borrowed to pay the governor’s taxes, their crops were being taken and their children were being used as slaves to repay the debt. When Nehemiah saw what was being done. It says in Nehemiah 5:6-7 – ‘When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials’.

Have you ever stood up for someone that couldn’t or wouldn’t stand up for themselves? Have you ever stood up for a cause you believed in, even if you were outnumbered or people thought you were nuts? Or, has anyone ever stood by you when you thought you must stand alone? Perhaps you’ve been accused of something that wasn’t true. These are painful situations but they are also growing times. I’m thinking of the people that have believed in me when no one else did. My husband Lanny has always stood by me and we have grown more in our marriage because of it. I get a lot of hair brained ideas and he always encourages me in them but he also is my anchor to keep me from going too far out of bounds. I think I must keep his life interesting but he also keeps mine more secure and stable. I recall when I decided to sell my accounting firm and go into the mortgage business. Everyone told me I was crazy and that I was making a bad choice. Everyone except Lanny. I remember him saying, “If you have prayed about it and that’s where the Lord is leading you then let’s do it.” What a relief that was and I’ve never regretted or second guessed that decision. I knew he was on my side. But more importantly, we both knew we were on the Lord’s side. That was 11 years ago and it’s been interesting. We’ve had a lot of challenges but we’ve also had some of the best years of our life so far together. I may not have made the right choice if I had not had him to stand by me when no one else did. Does someone need you to stand by him today?