Nehemiah 3 – Team

The story of Nehemiah is a story of team. It’s a story of individuals who believed in a common task. They believed it was worthy of the sacrifices. They believed it was worthy of their time and money. It was literally worthy of their blood, sweat, and tears.

It was a worthy task because it was God’s task.

In chapter three we see that most of their work was that of “repair”. The word is used 35 times in this chapter alone. However, this was not the kind of repair we might normally think of. The word for “repairs” is the Hebrew word chazaq. It has the idea of strengthening, encouraging, of making something strong. These are principles that have application to far more than material gates and walls.

These are the benefits of team. When the sum is greater than the whole. Strengthening, encouraging, and accomplishing something together we never could have done as individuals.

“The Fish Gate was rebuilt by the sons of Hassenaah. They laid its beams and put its doors and bolts and bars in place. Meremoth son of Uriah, the son of Hakkoz, repaired the next section. Next to him Meshullam son of Berekiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs, and next to him Zadok son of Baana also made repairs. 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 3:3-5

But not everyone pitched in. It’s interesting to me that it was the “nobles” who failed to be a part of the team. Shows you what pride and position can do to us. Maybe they thought they had a better plan, maybe they didn’t like how Nehemiah was doing it. Whatever their reason, I bet they regretted it later. They stand in infamy as the only people mentioned in this chapter who did not join in the work.

I wonder how their leadership suffered as a result. Also makes me wonder what part of the big picture I’m not “putting my shoulder to” that I should be.