Nehemiah 5 Commentary
1.3 billion tons of food is wasted every year, across the world, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. That’s one-third of all food produced for human consumption. No one would go hungry in the world!
Nehemiah’s daily food allocation as the governor of Judah wasn’t going to be wasted. He fed 150 men from his table, daily. This chapter is speaking to the saint who has been blessed with more than they need. What do you do with the excess food?
“Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people,” Nehemiah prayed. It is actually the last verse of the chapter. When you have done what Nehemiah did, why not, you can have the courage to pray like that.
Nehemiah is referring to his generosity. During Nehemiah’s tenure as governor of Judah, there was a famine. This natural disaster reduced the quality of life for many people. Not for everyone, though. The rich became richer by exploiting the poor during these very difficult years. And the solution to this problem? Generosity.
A famine becomes disastrous in the absence of generosity. When the fear of the LORD reigns, generosity flows. With generosity, many problems are not problems at all. Chapter 5 is inviting the saint to reflect on the need for generosity.
Generosity is the solution to the world’s hunger problem. Lack of food isn’t the problem. What is the saint doing about it?
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