Position did not stop them!

✨Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.

Nehemiah 3:4✨

POSITION DID NOT STOP THEM

Here we see that, goldsmiths and perfumers stepped up to build the wall. Gold and perfume had a very high value in the olden times.

They were given as gifts to Jesus Christ when He was born.

🎁Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Matthew 2:11🎁

They were doing costly and valuable things, but they did not stop themselves from building the wall. They did not tell, “I make gold and perfume. How can I build a wall? What will people think about me?”

ZACCHEUS, the tax collector : 

I am reminded of Zacchaeus. He was a tax collector. He was in a very high position. He had a lot of money. He had a high status in the society. But that did not stop him from running ahead of the crowd and climbing on a sycamore tree to SEE JESUS. Imagine this situation in today’s world! The people around him would have shot a video and made it viral! He did not bother what others will think about him. He wanted to see Jesus! Jesus saw his desire, went into his house that day and gave him the gift of salvation.

In the same way, the goldsmith and perfumer did not let their status stop them from serving God!

Missionaries from foreign countries stepped into India to share the gospel. They did not let their status, education stop them from serving God! Doctors, highly educated people, men and women from influential families let go of everything to serve God!

Asanam- feast of love : 

In Tuticorin, we have a function called "asanam" where a feast is given by the church to many people. The women of the church bring knives and cutting boards to cut vegetables. They all join hands to serve God. Teachers, doctors, engineers, house wives - join hands and serve God. I was reminded of this when the goldsmith and perfume maker joined hands with the people to build the wall! restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.

Enduring hardships for Christ

✨Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, repaired the next section; and Hananiah, one of the perfume-makers, made repairs next to that. They restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.

Nehemiah 3:4✨

Thought from the verse:

A goldsmith has to do very fine work. His hands will get hurt during building work. But he does not think about it when he works for God. 

A worker in the salt pans:

I watched an incident on TV where a fisherman comes to work in the salt pans. The salt pan owner tells them, “Eyesight and strong hands are very important for a fisherman. The strong sunlight in the salt pans will affect your eyes. The salt crystals will cut through your palms”. But the fisherman replied: “I need to collect money for an important cause. So please don’t stop me!”.  I was reminded of this when I read this verse.  

St. Damien of Molokai: 

St. Damien is known as the leper for Christ. In 1866, to curb the spread of the disease, Hawaiian authorities decided to consign lepers to an isolated community on the island of Molokai. St. Damien went to Molokai to help the neglected people of the island. What surprised the lepers most was that Damien touched them. Other missionaries and doctors shrank from the lepers. In fact, one local doctor only changed bandages with his cane. But Damien not only touched the lepers, he also embraced them, he dined with them, he put his thumb on their forehead to anoint them, and he placed the Eucharist on their tongues. All of these actions spoke volumes to the dejected lepers. They showed that Damien didn’t want to serve them from afar; he wanted to become one of them.

Despite the idyllic community Damien had built through a decade of work, the moment he feared finally arrived in December 1884. One day, while soaking his feet in extremely hot water, Damien experienced no sensation of heat or pain—a tell-tale sign that he had contracted leprosy.

He wrote home to his brother: “I make myself a leper with the lepers to gain all to Jesus Christ”. 

Worshipper and the Builder

Nehemiah 3:1Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel.

The high priest had the privilege of getting more closer to the presence of the Lord than anybody else. He alone had the blessing of going into the Holy of the Holies to offer worship to the Lord. What a joy is to dwell in the  sanctuary, in the very presence of the Lord! Even Psalmist felt jealous on the sparrow who built her nest near the altar in the sanctuary:

Psalms 84:3 Even the sparrow finds a home,and the swallow a nest for herself,where she may lay her young,at your altars, O Lord of hosts,my King and my God.

But Eliashib, the High Priest didn’t stop in the sanctuary, enjoying the presence of the Lord, he stepped into the world, to the people, got his hands dirty, built the wall with the other people. 

We can see lot of people who could dwell in His presence, in prayers, Reading the scriptures for hours. But when it comes to the world, they step back, they withdraw from people whom they can not mingle with, they avoid some, despise some. But is this a true mark of a worshipper? 

Jesus too spent lot of time in Father’s presence, He spent his nights and early mornings alone with His Father in mountains and wilderness. But the next morning, He touches the leper, heals the blind, goes to a sinner’s house, gets pushed and crushed in the crowd, yes, He spent His whole day going around and doing good.

Father, help us to remember Eliashib and our Higher priest Jesus, didn’t just dwell in your presence but also got into the world, to your people. Help us O Lord, it is so easy to think that we love you, when we find it very tough to love people who are made in your image. Help us to remember that the first commandment is to love you and the second equivalent command is to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Help us to be a worshipper and also be a builder Lord, in Jesus name we pray, amen!

May our lives speak Lord!

Nehemiah 3:1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brothers the priests, and they built the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set its doors. They consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred, as far as the Tower of Hananel.

The high priest is the first person mentioned who pitched in and helped with the work. Spiritual leaders must lead not only by word but also by action. May be the priests, who were in the highly esteemed position, being the mediator of God and men, could have avoided the work. But they were the first persons to pitch in. They didn’t just preach, they lived what they preached. 

Yes dear sisters, may be we are also serving as leaders, ministers in different areas. 
Are we living out what we are preaching? 
Jesus didn’t just preach about serving, He lived out as a servant; 
He didn’t just preach about loving the enemies, He loved the enemies on the cross. 

Lord, help us O Father that we will live, what we preach, what we write and what we share with others. May we be like Eliashib and the priests, may our lives speak louder than our words. May we not be known as a good preacher or a writer or a prayer warrior, but be known by our fruits and by our lives in Christ. 

Lord, you didn’t just taught us about serving but lived out as a servant, give us that privilege Lord, to live what we preach.  For we know Lord, not whoever calls you Lord, Lord but who does your will enters the Kingdom of Heaven. Not one who prophesies  nor who heals nor who drives out demons in your name but he who does your will enters the Kingdom of Heaven. 

May we who preach, may not be disqualified. May we remember those who teach will be judged with greater strictness. Help us to live worthy of the calling we received and May our lives speak Lord, in Jesus name we pray, Amen.