Daily Devotions – Abuse of Our Own Family!

Daily Devotions – Abuse of Our Own Family!

Nehemiah 5:1-8 (ESV)

Nehemiah Stops Oppression of the Poor

Now there arose a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers. For there were those who said, “With our sons and our daughters, we are many. So let us get grain, that we may eat and keep alive.” There were also those who said, “We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards, and our houses to get grain because of the famine.” And there were those who said, “We have borrowed money for the king’s tax on our fields and our vineyards. Now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children are as their children. Yet we are forcing our sons and our daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have already been enslaved, but it is not in our power to help it, for other men have our fields and our vineyards.”

I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these words. I took counsel with myself, and I brought charges against the nobles and the officials. I said to them, “You are exacting interest, each from his brother.” And I held a great assembly against them and said to them, “We, as far as we are able, have bought back our Jewish brothers who have been sold to the nations, but you even sell your brothers that they may be sold to us!” They were silent and could not find a word to say.

As he was leading the rebuilding effort, Nehemiah was made aware of the fact that the poor Israelites were being abused by oppressive and evil lending practices… by their fellow Israelites! It is amazing that we often hurt and abuse the people closest to us. Even Christians do this. Do you love your family the way Jesus loves you? Do you give your fellow Christians the same forgiveness and grace that Jesus gives you? We must be willing to allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate our sins and work in our hearts to cleanse us and draw us closer to Christ.