Nehemiah 2:4–6 ‘Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you get back?” It pleased the king to send me; so I set a time.’ (v6)
My children know when the best times are to ask me for something, whether it be for me to help them with their homework, give them a lift to a friend’s house or whether we might plan to go somewhere special at the weekend.
They know that if I am in the middle of working on something and they interrupt me in my study, the chances are high that the answer will be ‘no’.
But if they ask me after we have eaten together as a family, sitting around the table in that beautiful post-meal zone of contentment, with the rest of family watching on, the chances of a ‘yes’ are much higher.
Different people in the room create different atmospheres, different atmospheres create different outcomes.
If you get stuck in a difficult conversation, change the room or invite other people into the room.
It is intriguing that the Bible describes the queen sitting beside the king when Nehemiah makes his request.
Is it because if Nehemiah had asked the king when he was on his own, he may not have been in such a good mood and the response might not have been so benevolent?
We will never know. Humans are affected in our decision making by other people in the room. That is why salespeople still have jobs.
Their ability to persuade the potential customer is effective. Who are the people in your room that have a good influence on you. It is wonderful to have friends who ‘stick closer than a brother’.
A Prayer To Make:
‘Lord, thank You for wise friends around me who give me wise counsel and help me to walk in Your ways. May I also be that good friend to others. Amen.’
An Action To Take:
Who is it that brings the best out of you and helps you make wise choices? Contact them today and thank them or maybe arrange a time to meet.
Scripture To Consider:
Prov. 18:24 & 27:17; Eccl. 4:9–12; 1 Thess. 5:11
