Practice God-Like Character
Bradon: Jon, easy question – how do you become the best at something?
Jon: Be the only one in the room doing it!
Bradon: NO! Practice Jon, Practice.
Jon: Ohh, right! Of course! In the following episode, we explore how we can practice God-like character.
Discussion Episode
Nehemiah 5
About the Story
Bradon: We are, indeed! And today, we are going to continue in the book of Nehemiah.
Jon: Nehemiah 5, to be exact!
Bradon: So far, we have read about Nehemiah, a well-respected man who returned to Jerusalem.
Jon: Nehemiah’s family and ancestors were exiled from the land many years prior.
Bradon: He returned and had the hope and desire to reunite the Jewish people back in Jerusalem through the building of the massive wall that once stood and surrounded the entire town of Jerusalem.
Application
Bradon: Oh, I 100 percent agree! So what do you think the lesson is for today? Remember, we can only choose ONE!
Jon: Well, I could choose a few! But I got one I think you will agree with; let’s look at that passage again, the one I read earlier.
14 For the entire twelve years that I was governor of Judah—from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of the reign of King Artaxerxes[a]—neither I nor my officials drew on our official food allowance. 15 The former governors, in contrast, had laid heavy burdens on the people, demanding a daily ration of food and wine, besides forty pieces[b] of silver. Even their assistants took advantage of the people. But because I feared God, I did not act that way.
Bradon: Okay, what about it?
Jon: The part that stands out to me is the last sentence, “ because I feared God, I did not act that way.”
Bradon: That is a really powerful statement!
Jon: It is, and here Nehemiah is talking about that reverence of God, or the idea of Fear and Respect together.
Bradon: Right, it isn’t fear as in, BOO, scared you.
Jon: No, it is about respecting and understanding God’s power and awe.
Bradon: Okay, so what do we take from that statement?
Jon: Well, we should be like Nehemiah and practice God-like character. Or, to say it in another way, Keep the characteristics that honour and glorify God, and get rid of our characteristics that dishonour God!
Bradon: Really good stuff! That definitely takes practice and is a constant intentional thing.
Jon: Right, but as we said in the preview, practicing something is how you get better at it! You must practice to improve.
Bradon: very true!
