THE FELLOWSHIP OF FAITH. Nehemiah 3:7-32 A wise leader not only sees the big picture but also recognizes individuals as small parts of it. No one is unimportant. The Holy Spirit raises up "overseers" who can see beyond what is right in front of them, beyond what everyone else can see. The objectives of the assembly's work, worship, and service are clear in their minds, and they have taken the time to plan how to reach those objectives. But it is not enough to know only themselves. As leaders, they should be able and willing to make clear to the Lord's people the objectives and how the saints can participate meaningfully in that work. It is not right to drop an announcement on an assembly about a Gospel series beginning next week if they didn't know anything about it before.
Nehemiah assigned the people sections of the wall to build near where they lived. That would give them incentive to do good work, both for the quality of the work and how it looked. Passersby can often judge a person's character by their work even better than by their words. Those whose work was at the temple built near the temple. By keeping the standards high and giving incentives for quality work, there is a certain sense of accomplishment and pride in what we do that gives satisfaction.
THERE IS WORK FOR ALL. Goldsmiths were working on the wall. The son of a pharmacist, along with some women and others, set aside their normal lives and committed themselves to this great and urgent work. Nehemiah made special mention of Baruch, who "earnestly repaired" a section of the wall. How good it is when families join together to do what they can to further the work of the Lord! Shallum was one of the rulers of Jerusalem, and it was a wonderful example of family unity when his daughters picked up stones to carry to the wall so their father could set them in place.
A reachable goal, a sense of responsibility, unified families, and personal involvement in good work leave lasting impressions and provide reasons to commit to God’s work in the future. People have different attitudes toward working for the Lord. Some are enthusiastic and optimistic. Others are skeptical and pessimistic if many efforts have produced few results. Others are somewhat fearful if they have been rejected, mocked, or resented when they bring up spiritual subjects in conversation. Many people are friendly as long as God and spiritual subjects don’t become personal. From then on, they seek to avoid even meeting us, let alone talking to us.
If we had been able to observe that work from above, we would have seen a remarkable sight. All around the city, the ground would have been cleared first. Then, like a growing thing, the layers of stones would have been set, and each successive day would have revealed evidence of progress. The walls and gates would have been rising as if they were alive. Enthusiasm, organized labor, and a measure of excitement all help a work of God progress well. Personal pride can be a deterrent to a project, but unity and fellowship with others encourage everyone involved and produce wonderful results.
Not everyone responds to a call to work for the Lord in the same way. For some, it may be a brief adventure. Others may want to impress others temporarily. Still others may have had a genuine interest but found the labor too hard. Our hands should be filled with meaningful work that meets our needs and helps others who genuinely need our assistance. We do not need to know enough about what others do and why to feel compelled to make unsolicited suggestions and comments. Staying focused on our own affairs will take more time and effort than we often realize when doing God's will.
The instruction is to work with our own hands rather than sit idly, expecting others to support us or waiting for the Lord to return. Some believers don't work to provide for themselves because they believe the Lord will return very soon and stop everything to wait for Him. One thing missing is a clear understanding of what happens when a believer dies.
ACCEPTABLE MOTIVATION. Idol worshippers had priests who did nothing to meet their own needs but expected those who came to the idol’s temple to pay them for their intercession. This sad practice has been passed down to certain professing Christian denominations, which set a price on various sins people commit and on the supposed intercession of the religious practitioner. People who get involved in other people's affairs usually do not do well in their own.
I don't meet other people’s needs by meddling in their affairs, but I can help others by doing my work honorably. If people stop working, they must rely on others for support, which often leads to meddling in others' business. Manual labor is respectable work. Adam worked in the Garden of Eden before he sinned. Paul worked with his hands so he wouldn’t be a burden to others. It was common for Greeks to have slaves do their work. The Jews, on the other hand, had learned trades and were responsible for themselves and their families. Working not only helps us meet our needs but also encourages honesty.
Teaching and wisdom keep us from pessimism and help us discern life's meaning and purpose. Happiness in life is often proportional to the suffering we have experienced. “Make us glad.” In essence, this means letting God’s grace and love be on us daily and making our work meaningful and profitable. When we are conscious of “how short my time is,” we want our work to be useful and effective. When we apply ourselves to serving God and loving Him with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind, we will find satisfaction now and in eternity.
To delegate work is one thing. To coordinate it with the work of hundreds of others is quite another matter. People need to know that someone is responsible for the overall project to keep it on track. Those who lead need to be willing to delegate and then step back from others' work as much as possible.
People need to know they are expected to work and act responsibly, and yet they also need another qualified person to give advice, make corrections, and provide the incentive to keep at the work until it is finished. When guiding a work in which quite a lot of people are involved, we still need to expect each person to do their best work, just as we would when we are working for ourselves. "Second best" is not acceptable in the work of the Lord any more than in any other work. We are what we do, "heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men."
GREAT EXPECTATIONS. When we live each day before the Lord, conscious that we will "give account of the things done in the body" when we stand before our Lord at the judgment seat of Christ, we will not be careless. Even the small things we do have value. People who were building the wall were known by name to Nehemiah. Personal interest in people and knowing them by name are characteristic of a caring leader. Nehemiah recognized family groups, vocational groups, and individuals. In that way, he would have been able to encourage them all to enthusiastically press forward in the work. A "good and faithful servant" deserves some recognition, even though he doesn't expect it and may even be embarrassed by it.
Gates are important because they mark the entrance and exit to the place where God dwells with His people. They are open to receive those who come from without and are willing to do what God wills. Gates can also be closed when danger appears. It is important to keep God’s people safe. The guarded gates calm those who have anxious fears and those who want to be in a safe place.
When the spiritual walls of protection are strong, the work shifts to maintaining the challenge of keeping what is right and rejecting what is wrong, so nothing will have to be done over again. We know some people who resent the doctrine of separation from the world. They seem to prefer thinking that assimilating everything is what is in God’s plan. In a local church, some are called by God to ensure the gates of truth are open, maintained, guarded, and available to those who want to enter into the safety God’s word provides. May God keep me from being harshly critical of all that is around us, yet wholly committed to what He has given us.
Believers in Christ are members of one another, even though we may not know each other, be in the same place, have the same occupation, or even speak the same language. Believers are one body in the Lord. Local assemblies of God’s people are composed of people with different gifts, talents, strengths, and responsibilities, all of which can be joined together to maintain a strong witness to God’s truth and bring Him glory.