How many times have you seen something that needed to be done but instead chose to ignore it? Or complained about a problem instead of stepping up to fix it?

Have you ever chosen not to mention Jesus to someone because you didn’t want to get too involved with the person or family?

Nehemiah wasn’t afraid to get involved. He was concerned about his people, God’s people. The wall of Jerusalem had been broken and the people were defenseless (Nehemiah 1:3).

Had their enemies threatened, they would’ve been unsafe. The dilemma brought him to tears (Nehemiah 1:4) and the plight of others inspired him to action.

Does it break our hearts that there are others who have fallen away from their first love? Does it bother us that we have brothers and sisters in Christ who are discouraged and disillusioned? Do the eternal lives of others even concern us at all?

Nehemiah didn’t complain about his lack of free time. He didn’t call the preacher to fix the wall. He didn’t call a business meeting to discuss fixing the wall.

He didn’t gossip about the dire circumstances either. He went to God and then he went to work. Nehemiah saw a problem and reacted the way he was meant to.

There are those in and out of the church who need Jesus. They need to be encouraged. They need to be lifted up. Won’t you pray for them, then make a phone call, write a note, or drop in for a visit? It’s time to get involved. It’s time to get busy.

It’s time to be a Nehemiah.

–by Paula Harrington