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Articles
The People Had A Mind To Work
"So we built the wall…for the people had a mind to work" (Neh. 4:6).
Imagine if this local congregation was given the monumental task of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem—could we do it? More specifically, could we do it as efficiently as the people did it in Nehemiah’s time, in a mere 52 days? Could we overcome the same kinds of challenges they faced (discouragement, ridicule, selfishness) and still finish the job?
The answer to those questions is "Yes!"…IF…everyone has "a mind to work." That is, if everyone is willing to contribute in whatever capacity they are able, then I am confident that we could build the walls of Jerusalem, the Great Wall of China, or any other project that we set our minds to! But if we’re not all wholeheartedly joined together in that work, then chances are, we’re not going to accomplish much. Laziness and indifference will only hurt our efforts, and may, in fact, prevent us from ever completing the wall.
Of course you realize that as the people of God today, we’ve been given a much greater task than just building a wall. We’ve been charged and entrusted with the task of building up the kingdom of God. Plainly spoken, our job as Christians is to help others know about the Lord’s kingdom, get in the Lord’s kingdom, and remain in the Lord’s kingdom. And in order for that job to get done, the Lord needs men and women who have "a mind to work."
Being a member of the Lord’s church is not about getting your name in the membership directory, and then sitting back and watching others do all the hard work. It’s about being a participant, not a spectator. It’s about serving others, not waiting to be served. It’s about working together, not "I’ll do my thing, and you do yours!" It is a spiritual relationship, where brothers and sisters in Christ pool together all their resources, all their talents, and all their wisdom for a common goal, and that is to bring glory to God, our Heavenly Father (Eph. 3:21).
Practically speaking then, that means the church needs people who will "preach the word" (I Tim. 4:2), people who will "teach the young" (Titus 2:4), people who will "set an example for the believers" (I Tim. 4:12), people who will "pray for one another" (Ja. 5:16), people who will "bear one another’s burdens" (Gal. 6:1-2), people who will "encourage the fainthearted and help the weak" (I Thes. 5:14), people who will "serve one another through love" (Gal. 5:13), people who will "endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3). In short, the church needs people who have "a mind to work."
It’s been said that the church is full of willing people: those who are willing to work, and those who are willing to let them. Which one describes you?
