1. My mentors; my dad.
2. A clear set of values
3. Assistants who own those values
4. Focused, consistent practice.
5. Let them play (with encouragement).
6. If they don't execute, it's on me. (not enough preparation, not enough repetition).
7. The kids with good attitude play most and best.  The wrong attitude earns reflective time.
8. The year it all broke down.

1. Cyrus and the return from captivity.
2. A return to old faith rituals with new appreciation.
3. Provisions and resources flowing in out of the commitment and enthusiasm.
4. The foundation gets laid.
5. Celebration – shouts of joy and tears of reflection.

1.  Not as oppressors or outright antagonists, at first.  First, they offer their help. “Let us help you build.  We worship the same God.  We've been doing it for a long time (verse 2).

a)    For starters, “nuh uh!”  Not the same God, not the same worship.  Same name maybe.  But having the same God is about definition regarding the character of that God, and what God asks of us. 

b)    So that means different core values.  The Israelite leaders had no idea what values and motives were driving the offer.  It's so critical to link up with people who share our core values.

• Later in the book, intermarriage calls the question.
• Later in the Bible, the “yoked” image reinforces the value.
• Staffing and leadership culture; get people who own those core values and celebrate them often.
• If values aren't shared, earthquakes and storms rock the house.

a)    So the enemies try a different tack.  They try to discourage the builders.  They hire consultants to infiltrate the ranks and frustrate the plans for rebuilding.

• Now we see their true motives on display.
• Now we know that they are the enemy.  They probably even lay this on the Israelites.  “We offered to help.  You forced us to do this.”

b)    Then the second wave – intrigue and accusation.  They go right to the top:  The new king of Persia, Artaxerxes.  Cyrus is gone. Artaxerxes doesn't hold or own the corporate memory.

• They write a letter.  “The Jews are rebuilding a wicked, rebellious city.  Once it's built, you'll lose your tax base.  If you look back far enough in your royal records, you'll find out why our ancestors destroyed the city in the first place.”

a)    “I checked the books, and yes, these people are stubborn and seditious, and when they had powerful kings (David, Solomon) they stole the tax revenue.”

b)    “I order the work to stop.  Why let this threat grow?”

a)    Sometimes it's best to say no.

• Sometimes it's best to say no to some people and some associations.
• Sometimes it's best to say no to some activities or purchases or opportunities.  Often, there is a very subtle threat to the involvements and relationships we invest in.
• Not that we need to be overcautious.  We can be bold and confident.  But the question is one of redeeming presence or redeeming involvement vs. compromise and the subtle undertow of the things of this world.

b)    Sometimes waiting beats compromise.

 

• Singles wondering about the shared core values of your potential mate – wait! 
• Learn to know the difference between unnecessary fear and worthy caution.

c)    Sometimes the wrong voices hold sway a season (like Artaxerxes).    We feel powerless, but we aren't.  With God's help, we have the power to wait on God and hope in God and be a redeeming presence in a less-than-ideal situation.

d)    We have to trust that God will have his way in His time, and all along the way.

5.  Don't let anyone rob you of your hope!  Hope does not disappoint.  It's our breath, our spiritual heartbeat.  Don't give it away; don't let anyone steal it.

6.  Don't let anyone steal your joy! It's not their's to take and they (not even those closest to us) should be granted the emotional authority to take away our joy.

(I've given that authority away too many times.  I've allowed my joy to be tied in to the approval or affirmation of others, or even to their emotional equilibrium.  We can't protect ourselves from hurt, especially if we do care about others, but when someone else is sinking to the bottom of the ocean, we don't have to tie on and go down with the other person.)

Do we let them sink?  Not usually, though there are times when the loving thing is to let people hit bottom.

A lifeguard first reaches out with a pole, then ties on to something buoyant and dives in.  But the lifeguard isn't serving anyone by going down, too.

There is profound buoyancy that God makes available to us, and it can even help us to stay afloat through crises and losses of every kind. Not without hurt or grief.  But something deep, tied into God and His promises, which no one can pilfer.

7.  Get on the right side and go!