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Nehemiah 5:14-19 – Praying through the Bible #152 – A Prayer About Political Perks
Pardon me for this political rant, but this tirade crosses political parties. No doubt this diatribe is not only cross-cultural, but cross-national. There is a story that when Leonid Brezhnev became Premier of the Soviet Union, he showed his mother the lavish palace which now served as his home. She asked, “Do the Communists know about this?” My political rant is about political perks. It is too easy to replace the “p” with a “j.” Maybe this definition of politics will help: poly mean many, and ticks are blood sucking pests.
In America, legal perks are now carefully regulated. Not naming names, one governor received “gifts” amounting to $303,550. All legal. Look briefly at the US congress: base salary of $174,000; even though half are millionaires. Then they retire with an average of $59,000 a year if serving 20 or plus years; again, half are millionaires. We could get into much, much more; but this rant is over. Hopefully it hasn’t been meaningless. Let’s compare another politician, Nehemiah, governor of Jerusalem for 12 years (Nehemiah 5.14). What kind of politician was he? Maybe more important is why.
Nehemiah and his associates never eat from the food allotted to the governor (5.15). Not naming names, he says, “the governors who preceded me had heavily burdened the people, taking food and wine from them, as well as a pound of silver. Their subordinates also oppressed the people, but I didn’t do this, because of the fear of God” (5.15). Why, “the fear of God,” is missing today in most politicians. Instead Nehemiah devoted himself, with his associates, to the building of the wall (5.16). Such is not only dangerous and tiring, but something he personally did. Being an example and not a legislator, he didn’t just sign off legislation for the dirty work and hard labor to be done by others. In addition, “we” didn’t buy land (5.16), which means Nehemiah is not interested using his position for wealth and influences those who serve with him.
Because he is a governor, certain expensive obligations exist. Commonly he has to feed at his table 150 officials, plus guests (5.17). Making a grocery list, “Each day, one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me. An abundance of all kinds of wine was provided every 10 days” (5.18). Of the Jews he feeds, some are associates but others, it has been suggested, are the poor. Nehemiah practices is both godly hospitality and political hospitality. Despite this he again emphasizes, “But I didn’t demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy” (5.18). Here is another reason why he did what he did – concern for the people.
Understandably, he prays, “Remember me favorably, my God, for all that I have done for this people” (5.19). Think Nehemiah would rant against today’s politicians?
Prayer Challenge: Pray, when in a position of power and influence, not to take advantage. Pray for politicians to be like Nehemiah.
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