In Your Front Yard
Dr. Rikki Permenter
Above the Horse Gate the priests repaired, each one opposite his own house.
Nehemiah 3:28
I’ve been reading the book of Nehemiah lately. If you haven’t read it in a bit the first half is all about Nehemiah building a wall. Well, Nehemiah didn’t actually build the whole wall. He had a lot of help from all the Israelites living in Jerusalem near the wall. Take some time this week to read over the story if you haven’t in a while.
If you’re like me, when you see lists of names in the Bible, you’ll be temped to skim through them very quickly - but don’t. Slow down. If you read the story too quickly you’ll get bogged down in all of the names and lists and fail to see the picture that is being painted. If you draw out a map of what is being described you’ll see that each man listed, for the most part, repaired the wall that was in front of his own home — basically in his front yard. Each man had an interest in how well the wall was repaired in front of his own home because that is the part of the wall that would protect him and his family if the need arose. I don’t know for sure, but I imagine that each man did a really good job because his life and his families lives were the ones at stake. While this wall did protect his family specifically, with everyone else’s work, it also did the greater job of protecting Israel as a whole.
I don’t know about you but for some reason when I have a face to put with a need I tend to do a better job. If you know who you’re working for the work seems to have more purpose. What ministry need is basically in your front yard? What wall can you help build that protects you and your family but also protects God’s people as a whole, making it kingdom work? What ministry need is part of a bigger picture but also affects your family specifically? I don’t know about you but, as an example in my life, with two little kids our church’s nursery & children’s ministry has become very important to me. Yes, my work with that ministry impacts my kids but it also is part of a bigger kingdom work that impacts everyone’s kids. Don’t think so small guys! Just because what you’re doing is in your front yard doesn’t mean it isn’t a kingdom work.
This article can be found in print in the monthly Baptist Association of Southeast Louisiana newsletter.
