Yesterday you laughed at my absurdity for blaming the knife for my cut finger. I referred to my “smart phone” and my “dumb knife.” The knife was dumb because it couldn’t tell the difference between my finger and the potato. It surely wasn’t my fault. The knife was to blame. How silly! Nehemiah took personal responsibility for his part in the national sin of the children of Israel in Nehemiah 1:4-6. Now today, we will see how Nehemiah takes personal accountability of being part of the solution to the problem of the broken walls.

Think of how he also wants to be part of the solution. After praying, seeking the king’s permission to go back and rebuild the walls of the city of his ancestors, after securing the king’s passport to travel and even the funding of the project, after looking over the ruins, think of what Nehemiah said to the people.

“Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach” (Nehemiah 2:17).

He speaks about the distress “we” are in.
He speaks about the building that “we” will do together.

Interesting, isn’t it? Instead of blaming the people who had returned to Jerusalem and failed to rebuild the walls, Nehemiah included himself in the solution to the problem. He identifies personally with the solution as well as the problem.

I am encouraged by this today. There will probably be many ways that this will play out in my life as well as in your life this week. I want to think of this often.