Being Others-Oriented

In Nehemiah 5, something nearly derailed the rebuilding of Jerusalem-infighting and conflict within the Jewish community. During times of economic hardship, Jews started taking advantage of their fellow Jews by leveraging land and even selling their sons and daughters to each other in slavery. When Nehemiah realized the problem, he confronted it head-on and rebuked the nobles and officials for such actions. In the end, land and children were returned to their rightful families and the building of Jerusalem continued. It's a lesson to us about how we need to serve one another, love one another, and care for one another in the Body of Christ. It's about how we need to "look not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Phil 2:4).