Under Nehemiah’s leadership, and by the grace of God, the Jews rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in fifty-two days! It wasn’t time to rest, glorying in their achievements, however. They still had enemies outside the walls and a city to rebuild and run inside. Next, Nehemiah appointed workers to important tasks (Neh 7:1-4). Examining the jobs and the characteristics of those assigned to them, we can make applications today regarding the important work of the church and the necessary character of those who do it.
We need to make hay while the sun shines. While that is not what Nehemiah meant when he told the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites only to open the gates when the sun was hot, he was telling them they had a job that needed to be done, and there was an appropriate time to do it. The city needed protected. Enemies who planned to attack in the cool of the morning would lose the cover and comfort of darkness if they had to wait until the sun was well up. When the gates were barred, the townsfolk were to ensure that guards were appointed at specific parts of the walls, and that guards were stationed in front of their own houses (Neh 7:3). Such deployment would elicit the urgency and diligence that was required for the job. Vigilance was especially important, considering there were still few people in the large city (Neh 7:4), a deficit that a wily enemy would exploit.
Today, the Lord’s church has the important task of sowing the seed of the kingdom. When Jesus was with the disciples, he encouraged them to see the potential of the work and “pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Matt 9:38). Jesus warned those questioning Him that His time on earth was drawing to a close, they should believe in the light while they had it (John 12:34-46). He was the light of the world and did the works of God while it was “day” (John 9:4-5). In other words, Jesus did what He should do when He had the opportunity to do it. God’s people have an important job, and we need to do it while the sun is shining. “… the night is coming when no one can work.”
Not so fast. Just because the work needs to be done while it is warm, it doesn’t mean just any warm body is fit for the task. Sure, there are practical considerations. Do they have the skills necessary to accomplish the job they are given? But the more important question is, are they faithful? While Hanani was Nehemiah’s brother, don’t think it was nepotism that won him his job. Look, he gave him charge of Jerusalem because “he was a faithful man and feared God more than many” (Neh 7:2).
Our Creator does not need stand-ins for faithful servants. He set standards for those who do His work. In the case of those who were considered to care for widows, God didn’t check to see if they had their food-handlers’ cards or could balance a checkbook. The apostles said, “Seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business” (Acts 6:3). God calls those who worship and serve Him to be faithful. To be “filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:18), someone must “let the word of Christ dwell” in them richly (Col 3:16).
Are you faithfully applying the Word of God in your life? Fearing God more than many? What is between you and being a good worker for God?
– Van Sprague (Church of Christ at Houston Park, Selma, AL)
