Is compassion towards other people who are going through difficult life moments easy to extend? When you have built up a reserve of wealth are you willing to give it up to help other people? In Nehemiah 5 and 6 the people who were less fortunate upon returning to Jerusalem were being taken advantage of by those who had greater amounts of money and status. Why do people prey upon the downtrodden, troubled and despairing people so that they can make money? What is to be done? Where will we look to find hope.
When Nehemiah heard that fellow Jews were being taken advantage of by their brothers his anger was kindled. When the ways of the world promoted self entitlement and gain at all times it was necessary for Nehemiah to remind the people what was important. What was of utmost importance? Has culture today become too focused on what we perceive our entitlements to be? The people of Israel needed to truly love the Lord their God with all of their heart, mind, soul, and strength. Were the people wholly devoted to God? If they fully clung to God the hold that their worldly possessions had upon their lives would be broken and they would start to love their neighbors because of the inward love they have for God.
Nehemiah was a catalyst that God used to turn the hearts of the people back to Himself. As Nehemiah lived out the truths that he challenged the people of Israel to follow, he was giving the greatest example he could give the people of what it was to live life fully devoted to following God. What do the actions of the leaders you know say about them? The actions portrayed in our day to day life will be a clearer expression of our relationship with God. What is true leadership? When a leader remains a shepherd to the people and seeks their welfare over his that is the seed of true leadership. Jesus Christ was the progenitor of leadership as He brought mankind back into fellowship with God by dying upon the cross of Calvary. Jesus didn’t come to gain anything but He gave everything to us.
