WEDNESDAY May 10, 2017
The Art of Solving Problems
And there was a great outcry of the people and their wives against their Jewish brethren. For there were those who said, “We, our sons, and our daughters are many; therefore let us get grain, that we may eat and live.” - Nehemiah 5:1-2
Nehemiah, at this point, had to solve the problems of oppression between his own people, among the rich and the poor. In Nehemiah 1:1 we hear the great outcry of the people. What had happened? The rich were taking advantage of the poor––which was usually the case.
Nehemiah 5 describes different types of people that had problems, mainly those who did not have anything and those who had a lot, but wanted more. The poor among the people could not pay their taxes, or even supply for their own needs. So the rich took advantage of them and took possession of their lands. The rich even went as far as to place their own people under bondage.
Nehemiah would counsel with the people of God and address this problem. What they had done was against the law of God. He would rebuke those who had a lot of money and were into materialism. They should have never taken advantage of the poor but they should have feared the Lord because He would judge them.
James, a servant of God, who was considered to be the half-brother of Jesus, gave wise council to help solve problems in the early church among the Gentile believers (Acts 15:13-29). In James 1:5 he gave advice on how to help solve the problems we may have, he said: If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
As a leader in any capacity, in your home, workplace or your church, are you prayerfully asking for God wisdom to help you?
Wisdom must be from God, because it can be found only in relation to him.
~Edmund P. Clowney~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit Somebodylovesyouradio.org!