Nehemiah 5 Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. 2 For there were those who said, “With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive.” 3 There were also those who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of the famine.” 4 And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king's tax on our fields and our vineyards. 5 Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards.”
6 I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words.7 I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, “You are exacting interest, each from his brother.” And I held a great assembly against them 8 and said to them, “We, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!” They were silent and could not find a word to say.9 So I said, “The thing that you are doing is not good. Ought you not to walk in the fear of our God to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? 10 Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us abandon this exacting of interest. 11 Return to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the percentage of money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.” 12 Then they said, “We will restore these and require nothing from them. We will do as you say.” And I called the priests and made them swear to do as they had promised. 13 I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house and from his labor who does not keep this promise. So may he be shaken out and emptied.” And all the assembly said “Amen” and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.
One of the things that fascinates me about this account is Nehemiah's courage. He not only stood up to outsiders threating to obstruct the rebuilding of the temple - he did something far more intimidating: standing up to his own people who were taking advantage of those trapped by the situation. Widows and their children were especially adversely affected, and were being doubly hurt by those who were "bailing them out" by "buying their land" so they could pay their bills. In effect, they had become "slaves" by returning to "the promised land." Behind all this were the well-to-do nobles and leaders, who benefited from others' loss. What is interesting is how blind they were to their own sin. So are we. We often do not step back and see how we contribute to the neediness of others. Rather than contribute to their needs, we enhance their neediness. So, how does our own personal lifestyle choices adversely affect others around us? Are we just using better business practices? Or are we, in fact, commiting an injustice?
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