Can You be Bothered?
Can You Be Bothered?
When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for a number of days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven. (Neh. 1:4)
The Reaction to the Problem
Nobody likes to hear bad news, but it often comes rushing in like an unexpected downpour. Nehemiah experienced that. In short order he was told that the walls of Jerusalem were crumbling, the holy city was a wreck, and the people were suffering from a severe lack of leadership.
When he heard this dismal report, Nehemiah had two choices. One, he could toss up his hands in despair and say, “What can I do? I’m only one guy!” Or two, he could allow the news to move him to action. As we know, Nehemiah chose option two and led the people to rebuild the walls. The fact that countless books have been written and numerous sermons preached lauding Nehemiah’s leadership skills suggests he made the right choice.
The Response to the Problem
Nehemiah’s choice is our choice, too. We can choose to ignore problems and harden our hearts to the things of most importance to God, or we can choose to make ourselves available for whatever role He would have us play in making things better. It’s all about our hearts. A calloused heart builds up an immunity to suffering and avoids inconvenient problems. A tender heart, on the other hand, not only sees the need but surrenders with compassion to the will of God, becoming an active solution to the problem. Which kind of heart do you have?
Bottom Line
God has put you in a position to help meet some of the needs of our world. Are you making yourself available to Him?