Read Nehemiah 5:14-19
From being cup bearer to the king of Persia to being named governor of his homeland, Nehemiah has had quite a life. I don’t remember a passage that officially names Nehemiah governor, but certainly his actions reflect a godly governor to be sure. I assume that King Artaxerxes probably named Nehemiah governor over Judah in one of the letters he sent along with Nehemiah on his journey home.
In today’s passage, we see Nehemiah’s example of putting the work of God ahead of his own personal interest. There aren’t many leaders these days who would do what Nehemiah did to move the project along. Today we see a lot of greed and power-hungry leaders who seem to forget about the “little guy.”
There was another great Bible hero, Paul, who was also selfless in his leadership. Paul words in 1 Corinthians 9:1-15 are powerful. We often forget how much Paul did to further the kingdom. In our current reading, Nehemiah is the selfless leader God was using to help restore the land of Judah.
What do you think was Nehemiah’s motivation? Nehemiah did what was right before God because he knew he would have to answer to God someday. He even said, “But because I feared God, I did not act that way.” It was his choice to live by a different standard than other leaders.
I was a little surprised by the last line of this reading. “Remember, O my God, all that I have done for these people, and bless me for it.” For being a selfless leader who fears God, Nehemiah was bold in asking for a blessing. When I first read that, I wondered if Nehemiah’s motivation was more selfish, expecting a reward for acting the way he did.
When I work with girls at the orphanage, they continually try to do things to help me so that they can be recognized. It can become a competition to see who is going to help me hand out papers, or translate hard words, or read the Bible passage. It’s sweet, really, but I much prefer the quiet ones who show respect first and then delight when I ask them to do something.
How does it work in your life? Do you sacrifice much for the sake of others? If you’re a parent, I would say that you definitely sacrifice your own interests much of the time to make sure food is on the table ready to eat, clean clothes are in the drawer ready to wear, and no battles are erupting when you’re out of sight.
Would you say that you set a godly example for those around you like Nehemiah or even Paul? We could even back up our good behavior by saying, “I acted like that because Jesus loved me first.” We have that extra layer of revelation that Nehemiah didn’t have.
As Christians, we, too, should fear God as Nehemiah did. What does that look like for you? What sorts of things leave you in awe of God? When you reflect on those things, you can’t help but “fear” or “be in awe” of God. Doesn’t God deserve that much allegiance from us?
Take some time today to think about how you respond to God’s goodness. Are you setting a good godly example for those around you? If not, what is one thing you could do differently?
Let’s pray. Lord, I am in awe of all that you have created. It astounds me to think of how intricately perfect everything in the universe fits together. You are such an amazing God. Help me to do a better job of being a good example to those around me. You have called me to spread your message of love to the world. For that I am grateful and really need your help. I’m keeping my eyes fixed on you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
