February 23, 2026

Business by the Book

Nehemiah 2:10 When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

There is always a Sanballat and a Tobiah. Whenever someone has a dream, there are those who will oppose that dream. These two will be seen again in the story of Nehemiah’s work in Jerusalem for they caused him much trouble, but he overcame.

Many times the measure of a person is not found in what it takes to start them, it is found in what it takes to stop them. Sanballat and Tobiah were men who enjoyed a position of leadership in the land. Upon Nehemiah’s arrival their power and leadership became questionable. If they actually cared for the city and its inhabitants, why is it that they did not rebuild the walls? They used many tactics to hinder Nehemiah’s work, but he prevailed. “Failure cannot cope with persistence.”  Nehemiah persisted and finished the job.

How many dreams have been nullified by Sanballat and Tobiah? When someone has a dream, a vision, or an idea, they speak to others about it which sets in motion a wheel of activity. Some will support the idea, some will oppose it, some will try to steal it, and some will be a great assistance in turning it into a reality. In order to complete the dream, vision, or idea the responses of others must be handled. If others can help - embrace them, if others will hinder - nullify them if possible and overcome them if needed. This takes wisdom, thought, planning, patience, work, and a strong will. This is the reason so many fail; they are not prepared to do that which is necessary to overcome opposition.

When you think about it, mankind was created with mechanisms to deal with conflicts and difficulties. Stress, fear, adrenaline, and rapid thought processes are not mistakes, but rather the tools given to man to deal with opposition. Usually stress and fear are regarded as emotions to be guarded against instead of being useful for dealing with problems. Stress and fear are alarms notifying us of opposition as well as giving us the emotional wherewithal to cope and overcome.

Nehemiah did not give in to opposition, his work was appointed by the king, and a very much needed civic service. He knew that opposition would arise, hence the letters from the king, and he did not stop simply because others hindered him. Take your dream, vision, or idea and begin working toward its completion. Don’t be surprised at opposition. Embrace it, for it serves a purpose; if only to make you more determined.

Dr. William Howe