Scaffolding

Nehemiah 6: 2-4 states:
2That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.
3And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
4Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.
Scaffolding as described by Wikipedia:
Scaffolding is a temporary framework used to support people and material in the construction or repair of buildings and other large structures. It is usually a modular system of metal pipes (termed tubes in Britain), although it can be made out of other materials. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaffolding

This tells us that in a building of an edifice, it is necessary to have temporary support in order to fix, upgrade and also grow. When we look at the edifice our lives we have people around us who are like scaffolding. Some of them are there for longer periods of time than others, but their purpose in your life is to just be there as a support structure or as a learning tool to help you fix, upgrade, or grow.

The issue is that there are times where we don’t want to get rid of those of us that have filled the purpose that have in our lives. Albeit by death and not wanting to let go or by relationships and friendships that are like bleach…they serve a good purpose, but too much contact with it become toxic.

If we look at the passage of Nehemiah, we notice Nehemiah on the wall…building. Then there are those that see you doing a good work and want you to stop. They would have rather do you harm than to see you do good.

The real issue comes to play when we allow others to distract us. If Nehemiah had gone with them to Ono it would become a place of compromise. It would have should his weakness and lack of priority. I suggest to you today to take stock of those in your life that are scaffolding make sure that instead of getting off of that spiritual wall to place of compromise, recognize your self worth and say to those that would cause you mischief and take you to the preverbal Ono… say to them Oh NO!
Oh no…not one more night of a bad relationship.
Oh no…not one more day of feeling less than I am
Oh no…not one more day of not living up to my true potential
Oh no…not reliving past mistakes
Oh no!!!!!
The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settle for.

Just a little food for the soul…eat well.