What do we do when we find out people are being mistreated? Do we pretend it isn’t happening so we can keep the status quo? Or do we address the issue and bring truth to the situation?
Nehemiah shows great leadership.
The people bring their concerns to him.
Nehemiah 5:1
Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their Jewish brothers.
The Jewish nobles had been taxing the people, charging usury, taking their property, and putting them into indentured servitude.
Nehemiah rebukes them and calls them out.
Nehemiah 5:8-9
They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.
So I continued, “What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies?
The charge is to fear God in their decision-making, honour God, and bring honour, not shame, to His reputation as His people.
I love the response of the nobles and the people.
Nehemiah 5:12a, 13b
We will give it back,” they said. “And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say.”
Then I summoned the priests and made the nobles and officials take an oath to do what they had promised…
At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.
When we start to work together, we often find unresolved/undealt sins that need to be exposed, confessed, repented, and made right.
But this takes humility, courage, and a fear of God over man.
Nehemiah shows an incredible example of leadership.
May we fear God and want to honour Him.
May this direct all our decisions and give us the courage to address the wrongs that need to be made right.
