Next to him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of the goldsmiths. Next to him also repaired Hananiah the son of one of the perfumers, and they fortified Jerusalem to the broad wall. (Neh. 3:8)
When people catch a vision for what God is doing they receive grace to rise above their fears and inhibitions and put their hands to the work however they can.
I think people were surprised to see two men with the background of Uzziel and Hananiah doing the hard physical labor of fortifying a city wall. In ancient times, perfumers and goldsmiths were artisans who catered to the rich and to noblemen. It’s probably a safe bet that Uzziel and Hananiah were raised in the lap of luxury, and had no calluses on their hands.
Nevertheless, something gripped them and caused them to rise up like the others. They had an urgency to participate that was stronger than their self-consciousness about being rookies on a construction site. In the same way, we can support God’s project even when:
- it’s not our usual area of ministry
- it doesn’t give me a chance to shine
- it just isn’t “my thing”
Father, give me a servant’s heart that will want to be involved in what You are doing, even when it’s something new or unfamiliar to me, maybe even something that seems a little menial compared to what I’m trained to do or what I enjoy doing. Let me do whatever is required to see Your purposes become a reality.
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