I used to work as a credit counselor/collector for a department store as a young adult working my way through school.  It was tedious and stressful to help people understand why we would have to say no to certain purchases or help them later to figure out a way keep making payments when they would fall behind for several months.  Our place of business showed mercy in the process with counseling set in place to help people or I would not have been able to work there.  I learned many things about the importance of paying what you owe, not buying what you cannot pay back in the shortest amount of time, along with the importance of having a budget that included a margin for emergencies.

God used these experiences in others to help me see what happens when we are careless and foolish with what God has given us; no matter how large or small. This training, along with many Godly mentors, helped us in our early years of marriage. We learned early that a good and faithful steward seeks wisdom from God then listens and learns how to give from what God has given to them. Faithful stewards always have something to give from what God gives and they do it with a “cheerful heart.” Givers who recognize how much God has given to us love to give to others in need. Giving is in our DNA from our God who created us “in His own image”!

What a blessing to steward God’s way—the One who gave His Son to redeem us!  I’ve seen it with my own eyes! 

While in Haiti, on another mission to provide help to pastors and their congregations and provide supplies and encouragement to educators of our schools; we were honored, surprised and blessed on a very hot sunny day after the church service by a beaming pastor with a plan! Our mission team of young adults and I were invited to his house for lunch hosted by the pastor and his family.  We were guided to sit around a makeshift table to eat a meal that someone had spent the morning cooking over an open fire outside.  The family did not sit down; they served us. The table was small but the team crowded around it in their dark hut that provided shade while the younger children fanned us. We were truly treated like royalty.  This was awkward for us but we receive their generosity with gladness.  As I remember and describe this experience; humbled tears of praise to God for this family roll down my face. What amazing love demonstrated to our tired team!

This particular church was up in the mountains where vehicles cannot drive so we had to rise early in the morning and hike an hour or two to get there. This hike was done by often by family and others trying to survive day by day. So, complaining seemed irreverent. I didn’t have to say a word to the team.  Lesson learned through demonstration of God’s grace!

With grateful hearts and beaming smiles, this family gave of the very best they had to bless and refresh us.  I will never forget their generosity and smiles that came from their truly cheerful hearts.  Someone had even hiked down the mountain to secure ice for our drinks! (I don’t even know how that was accomplished for that would not have been an easy task in the heat!) It was hard then, to hold back the tears of gratitude! But, I must tell you, that it was not the good meal, fellowship with our brothers and sisters, or the ice in my drink that impressed my heart the most; but of the lesson given to our team of humbled, grateful generosity.

In our passage today, Nehemiah, a man called of God to rebuild the walls and to spiritually restore God’s people in the process, speaks against profiting from the poor and powerless due to unforeseen circumstances.  He is certainly God-led in making course corrections in their walk with God!  We learn much if we listen and allow God’s Holy Spirit to correct us!

Nehemiah 5

Nehemiah Helps the Poor

Now the men and their wives raised a great outcry against their fellow Jews. ² Some were saying, “We and our sons and daughters are numerous; in order for us to eat and stay alive, we must get grain.”

³ Others were saying, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine.”

⁴ Still others were saying, “We have had to borrow money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. ⁵ Although we are of the same flesh and blood as our fellow Jews and though our children are as good as theirs, yet we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. Some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others.”

⁶ When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry. ⁷ I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, “You are charging your own people interest!” So I called together a large meeting to deal with them ⁸ and said: “As far as possible, we have bought back our fellow Jews who were sold to the Gentiles. Now you are selling your own people, only for them to be sold back to us!” They kept quiet, because they could find nothing to say.

⁹ 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? ¹⁰ I and my brothers and my men are also lending the people money and grain. But let us stop charging interest! ¹¹ Give back to them immediately their fields, vineyards, olive groves and houses, and also the interest you are charging them—one percent of the money, grain, new wine and olive oil.”

¹² “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. ¹³ I also shook out the folds of my robe and said, “In this way may God shake out of their house and possessions anyone who does not keep this promise. So may such a person be shaken out and emptied!”

At this the whole assembly said, “Amen,” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

¹⁴ Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. ¹⁵ But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. ¹⁶ Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land.

¹⁷ Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. ¹⁸ Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.

¹⁹ Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

It comes to mind that Jesus also taught to “lend, expecting nothing in return”.  Here is the whole lesson from our Lord;

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” Luke 6:32-35

This verse is emphasizing radical generosity and love, even for enemies, contrasting normal lending where repayment is expected. Although giving freely does not compute in the world of business practices for success; this selfless act is a call to help the needy without profiting from their hardship.  As we discover here; this aligns with Old Testament principles against using the poor for personal gain in our story today. 

Another aspect of prayerfully and carefully handling what God has given us for our good and His glory is knowing that in the budgeting to give process our faith grows deeper!  However, if we are not careful, trying challenges with unforeseen calamities might shatter our faith and trust. Our response is a choice.

The difference lies in who we seek first and trust in all the things.  “In this world we will have troubles,” Jesus reminds followers, “but relax for I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33) Jesus is talking about the trials and troubles of this fallen world that can be used by God to build our faith in the overcoming process!  Whether poor and in need or wealthy; we all have troubles that only Jesus can help us overcome from the inside out!  Jesus, the cornerstone of our faith, is all we need in all circumstances here on earth.

Speaking to the church in Phillipi, Paul says, “I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles.” Philippians 4:10-14

We have learned that when some of the people began exploiting the poor, Nehemiah cried foul. He considered the poor to be valuable members of society, and he protected them.  Nehemiah “stood in the gap” as an advocate for those exploited.

We learn that God concerns himself with poor and helpless people. People who have no power in society are not less important or less valuable but have great worth in God’s eyes.  Do we feel the same?

And one last thought—

When a woman was compelled to honor Jesus by breaking the seal of an alabaster jar filled with her life savings of expensive perfume, a custom of the time, like life insurance for burial; the disciples were indignant! What a waste!

“Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”—Jesus, Matthew 26:10-13

It wasn’t about being poor or rich.  It was not an excuse to ignore the poor, either.

It wasn’t about the gift but the giver who gave generously from a surrendered heart of pure faith. 

God sees the hearts of the surrendered; those whose hearts are fully committed to Him—the Giver of Life! 

^“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles (unbelievers) seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” –Jesus, Matthew 6:31-33

“The poor among us” also means we are given numerous opportunities to serve God by giving through sharing what God has given to us with a cheerful heart expecting nothing in return. Often it is the poor among us who teach us the art of pure faith in their generous actions of God’s love.

What is our response to God’s call to stand in the gap for those in need?  I pray our giving avoids coming from an arrogant heart and pride filled mind that thinks because we have more and give more readily that we are more valuable in God’s eyes! This is not “cheerful heart” giving!  Mother Therea was quoted often to say, “You have not truly given until you give until it hurts,” which was meant to emphasize that true love and generosity often requires personal sacrifice and selflessness, going beyond mere humanity giving, for the purpose to truly meet the needs of others with unconditional love, as exemplified by Jesus’ sacrifice. (Philippians 2)  It’s not always stuff to give but being available to listen to understand as we give.

“Cheerful heart” generosity is giving sacrificially, willing to experience some discomfort or even loss, to serve someone without expecting anything in return, making it an act of pure love—like my Haitian friends that day all those years ago.

It is in our willing discomfort that we see and hear God more clearly and concisely.  And what a blessing it is to know, hear, and see God at work in our lives in all His glory!

Lord,

Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh our souls with your mercy, and restore the joy of your salvation at work with us to be all you created us to be.  Help us to be people who seek justice, love mercy, as we walk humbly with you. Give us courage in uncomfortable circumstances. To YOU be all glory, honor, and praise!

In Jesus Name, Amen