Don’t Burden Me
“But because I feared God, I did not act that way……..I asked for nothing, even though I regularly fed 150 Jewish officials at my table, besides all the visitors from other lands……Yet I refused to claim the governor’s food allowance because the people already carried a heavy burden.” Nehemiah 5:15c, 17, 18c
Sometimes one of the greatest gifts we can give someone who is struggling and weighed down with burdens is to not add to their load. This often requires a personal sacrifice, a denying of our own rights and needs, solely for the benefit of someone else with their own struggles. We all have needs, burdens and struggles, but that doesn’t mean we need to lighten our load at another’s expense. Nehemiah understood this gift of grace to his fellow Israelites. He was governor of Judah for 12 years, shouldering the daily governmental responsibilities (Neh 5:17) not to mention overseeing the massive civil project of rebuilding the wall (Neh 1:16-18; 5:16).
While his predecessor met the responsibilities by placing a heavy burden on the people with daily food rations and hefty requirements of silver, Nehemiah chose differently. He feared God and this caused him to act in a different way. He met the need at his own personal expense, for the benefit of others. The fear of God is powerful because it leads us to live our lives with a high view of Him in our hearts. It sees Him as the rightful Ruler, Creator and Sustainer of all things. This high view of God put into daily living, enabled Nehemiah to trust in Him no matter the circumstances or personal cost. The easy thing was for him to continue to turn to the people and exercise his right as governor. But Nehemiah recognized requiring a people already burdened by their own personal struggle of rebuilding their lives post captivity might solve his own problems but only would add more to theirs (see Nehemiah 2:11-20, 4:1-9, 5:1-13). He trusted God with his burdens rather than asking more of those around him. Humbly he denied his own rights and instead, paid the cost and did his own share of work all for the benefit of others (Neh 5:18, 19).
While we may not be a governor over a large group of people, as believers we each have a personal responsibility to one another to not add to one another’s burdens. It may cost us, we may even need to deny our own personal rights, but like Nehemiah if we remember who God is and completely trust in Him, He will help us so that we can bless others instead of burdening them. Are you facing a deep need or personal burden? If so, are you asking more of others than they are able to give to help you? How can you look to God and trust Him in your time of need, even if it costs you, so that you do not add to the burden of others? Sometimes the greatest gift of grace we can give someone weighed down with their own burdens of life is to simply not add to their load.
“Remember, O my God, all that I have done for these people, and bless me for it.” Nehemiah 5:19
