They … would not put their shoulders to the work. Nehemiah 3:5, NIV
Against all odds, they rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, but sadly, some of them would not put their shoulder to the work! Could that be said of you?
I’m reminded of the two men riding their tandem up a hill. When they finally reached the top, exhausted, the one on the back seat said, “Man, you’re lucky, if I hadn’t kept the brakes on, we’d have slid back down the hill again!” You may smile, but a lot of God’s people live life with the brakes on. They speak of being “balanced” or “prudent” or “not making waves.” The truth is they don’t even make an impact at all!
On the summit of Mt. Everest, there’s a marker in memory of one of the oldest climbers ever to attempt to scale the mountain. It simply reads: “He died climbing!” Child of God, make that your testimony. Our souls are not hungry for fame, comfort, wealth or power. Those rewards create almost as many problems as they solve. Our souls are hungry for meaning, so that our lives matter, and the world will at least be a little better for our having passed through it.
Whatever God has called you to-building cathedrals or sweeping streets-when you find God’s purpose in your life, take the brakes off and give it everything you’ve got-starting right now!
