Nehemiah 5:1-6
New Living Translation (NLT)
Nehemiah Defends the Oppressed
5 About this time some of the men and their wives raised a cry of protest against their fellow Jews. 2 They were saying, “We have such large families. We need more food to survive.”
3 Others said, “We have mortgaged our fields, vineyards, and homes to get food during the famine.”
4 And others said, “We have had to borrow money on our fields and vineyards to pay our taxes. 5 We belong to the same family as those who are wealthy, and our children are just like theirs. Yet we must sell our children into slavery just to get enough money to live. We have already sold some of our daughters, and we are helpless to do anything about it, for our fields and vineyards are already mortgaged to others.”
6 When I heard their complaints, I was very angry. 7 After thinking it over, I spoke out against these nobles and officials. I told them, “You are hurting your own relatives by charging interest when they borrow money!” Then I called a public meeting to deal with the problem.
In the last week two different Christians whom I greatly respect have referred to Nehemiah. Yes, we can learn stuff from the old testament. No matter what your politics; things are bad out there. It’s not enough to rant and rave at the politicians. We need to do something.
One wise friend said it like this: After teaching from Nehemiah 5:1-13, my Pastor had me rushing home to clean out my garage of “displaced treasures.” There were so many things that I’d held on to, for no other reason than to collect dust. In his teaching, he told the gathering that, “Your extra might be somebody’s everything.” Do you have something “extra” that is gathering dust? It may not be stored in your garage, but in your wallet. Remember those in need… “Your extra….might be their everything.”
Matthew 6:19 – “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy.”
Good word my good friend Rev. Doyle. Couldn’t have said it better myself. So I haven’t.
Spread the wealth and be blessed. It’s only socialism if the government does it. If we do it ourselves, it’s the gospel.
Nick
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