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Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 5

There was a creative ad campaign a few years ago called, “Don’t Almost Give.”  It’s purpose was to raise people’s awareness of the needs around them, encouraging people to help meet those needs.

One ad showed an elderly woman sitting alone in her chair, staring blankly ahead.  The narrator said,

“This is Sarah Watkins.  A lot of people almost helped her.  One almost cooked for her.  Another almost drove her to the doctor.  Still another almost stopped by to say ‘Hello.’  They almost helped.  They almost gave of themselves.  But almost giving is the same as not giving at all.”

The series of ads concluded with the words,

“Remember all those times you almost helped?  You meant to, but somehow you forgot.  You were too busy and it slipped your mind.  Well, it’s only human, this almost giving.  But if you almost gave, there’s a good chance everybody else almost gave, too.  Don’t almost give.  Give.” 

In the story of Nehemiah, there was a point where Nehemiah became aware of the needs of those who were helping him rebuild the wall around Jerusalem.  When Nehemiah recognized their need, he didn’t just “almost give.” He gave, in terms of both his personal resources and his influence over others, to help ease their burden.

Nehemiah found out that the Jews who were working with him were having to mortgage their fields, their vineyards and their homes just to get food to survive.  They were selling their sons and daughters into temporary slavery until they could pay off their debts.  Unfortunately, it was their fellow Jews who were buying these slaves and charging interest on the loans.

When Nehemiah heard these things, he was angry.  The Jewish law was clear that while there was nothing wrong with lending money to their brothers in need, the Jews were not to charge interest to their fellow Jews, which they were doing.  And by holding their property as collateral, those who needed the money could not continue making a living.  So Nehemiah gathered the nobles who were making these loans and told them:

“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? I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let the exacting of usury [charging interest] stop! Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the usury you are charging them―the hundredth part of the money, grain, new wine and oil” (Nehemiah 5:9-11).

The people responded:  

“We will give it back.  And we will not demand anything more from them. We will do as you say” (Nehemiah 5:12).

Nehemiah also agreed to ease their burden by not collecting the tax that was due to him to meet his own needs during the entire time that he served as their governor.  Instead, Nehemiah regularly had a hundred and fifty Jews and nobles eating around his table, as well as those from surrounding nations.  Nehemiah did this from his own resources, because the demands on his people were so heavy.

Because of the nature of my work, I often have to call on others to help me do what God has put on my heart to do.  Nehemiah’s actions are a helpful and necessary reminder to think about ways I can practically help those who are helping me, both for their own sake, and for the sake of the project that God has called us to do together.

If there are people helping you do what God has put on your heart to do, I’d like to encourage you to take some time in the coming days to listen to their hearts.  See if they have needs that you could help meet, whether directly or through your influence, then do what you can to meet those needs.

Don’t almost give.  Give.  Help those who are helping you so that together you can do all that God has called you to do.

Prayer: Father, show me the needs of those who are helping me so that I can help them as well.  Give me the resources and influence to help meet their needs in practical ways so that together we can accomplish all that You’ve put on our hearts to do.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.