- There is a figure of speech that refers to being "stuck between a rock and a hard place". There may be no easy choice: no matter what we do, we will offend someone or be rejected by someone.
I believe the harder choice could be deciding who it will be, especially in spiritual matters. Do we offend people or God? Will it be Him or "them"? And whose acceptance is more important?
My advice? Decide before you encounter the "hard place". Make it a life choice, so that regardless of circumstances, you know what you will do.
Nehemiah was cruelly mocked and opposed for his choices, but that did not matter to him; he was only concerned with what God thought about him. (His life encourages me and he is one of those I especially want to meet in heaven.)
Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, "What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they are doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a day if they offer enough sacrifices? Look at those charred stones they are pulling out of the rubbish and using again!" Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, "That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!" Then I prayed, "Hear us, O our God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a foreign land! (Neh 4:1-4 NLT)
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