Last week, in The Nehemiah Solution, Part 2, we left off the story of Nehemiah’s outrage against Israel for “gouging” their brothers in interest by giving his reason for his outrage. In the very next verse he gives us the solution:
“I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury! Restore now to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil, that you have charged them.” (Neh 5:10-11, NKJV).
Nehemiah’s solution? He himself lent the people money and grain, but not with interest, and he urged the people to follow his example!
But does Nehemiah truly put his “money where his mouth is”, so to speak? Does he truly give freely of his own money and wealth to help the poor in the land?
“Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the governor’s provisions. But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of God. Indeed, I also continued the work on this wall, and we did not buy any land. All my servants were gathered there for the work. And at my table were one hundred and fifty Jews and rulers, besides those who came to us from the nations around us. Now that which was prepared daily was one ox and six choice sheep. Also fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine. Yet in spite of this I did not demand the governor’s provisions, because the bondage was heavy on this people.” (Neh 5:14-18, NKJV)
The governors who came before Nehemiah laid burdens on the people. The end result of their example? They motivated the wealthier of the Jewish leaders to treat the people in the same way. But not Nehemiah. Nehemiah valued purity. He valued right-doing. And in order to maximally encourage this, he led by example: He lived his life exactly how he envisioned the other powerful leaders would live theirs.
It is true that the Bible teaches we must not judge others, and that we are accountable for our own sins, no matter who or what influenced us to commit them. But we are also admonished to set a good example: “but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (1Tim 4:12, NKJV)
Why?
Paul tells us in his letter to the Thessalonians: “Not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should follow us.” (2Thess 3:9, NKJV)
But is this just Paul? What about Jesus? Didn’t He teach: “You are the light of the world…Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt 5:14-16, NKJV)? Didn’t He also teach: “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men” (Matt 5:13, NKJV)? Think about it: What kind of light do you wish to shine on God’s Word? What kind of “flavouring” do you wish to leave behind in the mouths of those who do not know the Lord?
Friends, we need to follow the Nehemiah solution: We need to lead by example, ever letting God’s light shine through us to the world. And in so doing, we must be careful that our own lives reflect the purity of Jesus Christ!
Thank you, Nehemiah, for reminding us of the need to set a pure, exemplary personal example so that we can maximally carry out the work of the Lord!
But Nehemiah’s problems are far from over. As you read through his story it becomes evident that he encounters distraction after distraction. Now I don’t know about you, but distractions usually hinder me from doing God will! Does Nehemiah have a solution for this problem as well? Join us next Saturday for The Nehemiah Solution, Part 4: What to do with Distractions.
In His love,
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries.
(To access the rest of this mini-series, please click here.)