Tag Archives: Nehemiah 3

Every Hand Dirty

October 21, 2025 Tom Vander Well Leave a comment

“Eliashib the high priest and his fellow priests went to work and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and set its doors in place, building as far as the Tower of the Hundred, which they dedicated, and as far as the Tower of Hananel.”
Nehemiah 3:1 (NIV)

I gave a message among my local gathering of Jesus’ followers a few weeks ago about Jesus’ parable of the “mustard seed” and the “leaven.” In both metaphors, one small seed/amount has an exponentially huge effect. A small mustard seed creates a mustard plant/tree that could spread and take over an entire garden. Likewise, a pinch of yeast spreads through a giant batch of dough. The point Jesus is making is His plan for how He expects God’s Kingdom to spread to the world.

It starts with little ol’ me.

I’m the seed. I’m the yeast. Jesus’ love is supposed to spread through me and through my words, actions, and relationships it’s supposed to spread to others like leaven spreading through dough. As it infuses others, it keeps spreading outward.

It begins with every believer, no matter who they are, no matter what they’ve done, no matter how they are gifted, no matter what they do for a living, no matter their present circumstances. The Kingdom of God was always intended to be a grass-roots movement with every believer being a productive and fruitful seed.

In today’s chapter, the actual work of Nehemiah’s project to repair Jerusalem’s walls and gates begins. For the casual reader it reads like a construction ledger. Beneath its mortar and measurements lies a theology of community, cooperation, and consecration.

The first crew mentioned is the High Priest and his fellow priests. Spiritual leadership led the way, and led by example. They repaired the “sheep” gate, which references the sacrificial lamb. The sheep gate is the gate through which the sacrificial animals passed. This is more than just a civic project. This is allowing for the perpetuation of God’s redeeming work of all humanity. They are repairing the entire world.

As the chapter continues, it echoes Jesus parable of the mustard seed and leaven. Every one is involved in the effort. Perfumers, merchants, goldsmiths, individuals from all trades, individuals from all stations of life. In this way, the work of the wall here in Nehemiah is a foreshadowing of the very way Jesus intends the walls of God’s Kingdom on earth to be built in the on-going work of redemption.

Nehemiah even mentions that not everyone was a willing and cheerful participant. Verse 5 states, “The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.” There is not a project in which I’ve participated, whether it was work, church, or community theatre, in which there isn’t some kind of challenge or obstacle rooted in human opposition, passivity, or negative attitude. I love that Nehemiah’s retelling is not some kind of idyllic memory. It’s a hand’s dirty account of a community project, complete with dishing out the dirt.

I’m reminded in the quiet this morning that in God’s Kingdom work, everyone has a brick to lay. Sacred work is often very ordinary work. Nehemiah has some 40 crews working in small sections, so I don’t need to feel the burden of changing the world – just working on my little section of it. I can be grateful for and supportive of all the other individuals and crews working on their little sections – they don’t need me meddling.

Another day of the journey. Time once again to get my hands dirty doing the ordinary work of building up God’s Kingdom. All the best to you on your little section of the wall. Shout out if you need help.

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.

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Chapter-a-Day

Labor for the Good of the Whole

September 11, 2019 Tom Vander Well 1 Comment

The next section was repaired by the men of Tekoa, but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work under their supervisors.
Nehemiah 3:5 (NIV)

Over the years I’ve come to learn that there are three issues that create more marital issues than any other: money, sex, and the division of labor. Each of these marital land mines contains a potentially explosive form of relational power and/or control that can be exhibited in both passivity and aggression. I have found that most couples somewhat expect the conflicts around money and sex, but the division of labor often catches them by surprise.

How we go about dividing roles and responsibilities for the everyday tasks of life together can be as unique as the individuals involved. I’ve found that there are all sorts of elements that factor into both the conflicts and the resolutions including history (how it was modeled in our homes growing up), personalities (and the respective concern with order and detail), giftedness (the ability or lack of ability to do certain things well), interest (one person’s desire/need to have things done a certain way), character (the willingness of an individual to work for the good of the whole), and spirit (the willingness to submit my needs/desires for the sake of my partner).

In today’s chapter, Nehemiah describes all of those who pitched in to help repair the walls of Jerusalem. Different individuals and groups took responsibility for certain sections of the wall that surrounded the city. What stood out in his list is the one group of “nobles” (the Hebrew word used here means “magnificent” or “mighty”) who refused and were unwilling to throw their back into the manual labor. Nehemiah’s calling them out points to an issue of character. The nobles of Tekoa appear to have been unwilling to work.

In the quiet this morning I find myself thinking about the work required for the success of a marriage, a home, a team, a business, and/or a community. I’ve observed on many levels that when an individual and/or group refuse (or are not required) to get their hands dirty in the grunt work required for the well-being and success of the whole, then a chain reaction of issues are likely to be set of which will strain the system and may even threaten to destroy it.

I am reminded of the words of King David to his son, Solomon, whom his father tasked with the construction of the temple that the exiles we’re reading about rebuilt. It’s become a life verse for me:

“Be strong, and courageous, and do the work.”
King David (1 Chronicles 28:20)

Which reminds me. I have work to do. And, I imagine you do too. All the best to you in your labor this day, my friend.

Chapter-a-Day

Takin’ Care of Business

June 16, 2016 Tom Vander Well 1 Comment

Then the high priest Eliashib set to work….
Nehemiah 3:1a (NRSV)

[cue: Takin’ Care of Business by Bachman-Turner Overdrive]

“You get up every morning from the alarm clock’s warning…”

…walk through the kitchen and head upstairs.

I have labored in a non-traditional work environment for the past 22 years. My company has never had a traditional bricks and mortar location for our business. Every member of our group works from home. It has always been this way since our founder started the company in his own home. Our staff meetings began around his kitchen table.

Over the years we’ve had many group members who have struggled with working from home. Some, after trying it for a time, have opted to move on to a traditional job where they “go to work” in the morning and “come home” at night, which I totally get. I have had to forge a more non-traditional approach to finding the balance between work and personal life when they co-exist in the same space.

One of the qualities I’ve had to develop in my life is self-discipline. Our team operates on weekly, monthly quarterly, and annual project deadlines for our clients. The work has to get done and his has to get done on time. If I don’t set to work on a regular basis then I’m going to find myself in a world of hurt. And, I confess that a certain amount of my self-discipline development has come from learning the hard way.

In today’s chapter I was struck by the sheer number of people who were mentioned in the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls. The project took a host of people who “set to work.” Many took responsibility for the sections of the wall near their homes and/or businesses. It wasn’t left for others. It wasn’t hired out. The work wasn’t placed on the back of slaves. High priests, rulers, officials, businessmen, and laborers all set to work.

This morning I’m reminded of the value of setting to work. I observe a world and a culture that is constantly trying to get out of having to do anything. The temptation to procrastinate never goes away, and there is so much value in the simple discipline of getting the job done. Jesus said that the harvest is plentiful, but there aren’t enough people willing to do the work.

Now, if you’ll excuse me. I have some business to take care of.