NEHEMIAH 3 - MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK

Nehemiah 3

After arriving in Jerusalem, Nehemiah set out in the night to investigate the city’s condition. It was in bad shape, probably worse than he had imagined. The work ahead was massive, and it would require many hands. As the saying goes, many hands make light work. Even still, one might easily have looked at the job and said, it’s too big! 

Nevertheless, the people offered up willing hearts and ready hands, and God can work with that. In any great task you need leadership, a vision, and some skin in the game. Nehemiah was clearly the leader - he had a burden from the Lord, and a plan in place. This was necessary, but what was most necessary was people. People are always the way in which God advances his plans on the earth. 

It was the people who had to say, “Let us rise up and build.” Without everyone involved, the task was too great. The high priest (v. 1), a goldsmith, a perfume maker (v. 8), a city leader, and his daughters (v.12), all put their shoulders to the work. Some did more, some did less, and some did nothing at all (v. 5). Their names were recorded in the Bible, because God cares about people and not just projects. 

The people worked with all of their hearts, side by side. Families worked together to build the section of the wall just in front of their own home (v. 28, 29). Because, individually protected homes adds up to make a collectively protected community. When those with more skill and energy finished their own section, they went on to help others (v. 30). The things that are too much for just one person or even a few are achievable when everyone rises up and gets involved.

God has strategically placed us where he wants us to be in order to accoplish great things. He has an important work for us to do: in the church, in neighborhoods, in business, in government, and especially in homes. So together, let’s get our hands on the work.