Nehemiah 7:1-5: a reflection

1Now when the wall was built and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed, 2I put my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the governor of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem; for he was a faithful man and feared God above many. 3I said to them, “Don’t let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut the doors, and you bar them; and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, everyone in his watch, with everyone near his house.” 4Now the city was wide and large; but the people were few therein, and the houses were not built. 5My God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be listed by genealogy. I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found this written in it:

When the wall of Jerusalem is finished, Nehemiah must put someone in charge of the city; and notice how he chooses. He appoints Hananiah over Jerusalem, and gives his reason: for he was a faithful man and feared God above many. The qualification Nehemiah looked for was not chiefly ability or connection, but character: faithfulness and the fear of God. He entrusted responsibility to one whose character could be trusted, who was faithful and feared God more than most.

Notice what Nehemiah valued in choosing whom to trust: faithfulness and the fear of God. He did not choose chiefly for talent, prominence, or connection, but for character; Hananiah was a faithful man who feared God above many, and that was the reason he was entrusted with the city. Character, faithfulness and the fear of God, was what made a person trustworthy in Nehemiah's eyes. He looked past mere ability to whether a person could be trusted, whether they were faithful and feared God.

That is worth taking to heart, both in whom we trust and in what we ourselves become. In choosing whom to rely on, we can be drawn by talent, charm, or prominence, and overlook character; but Nehemiah valued faithfulness and the fear of God, which are what truly make a person trustworthy. And for ourselves, it is a reminder that the character that makes us trustworthy is not talent but faithfulness and the fear of God. When you consider whom to trust with responsibility, look, as Nehemiah did, for faithfulness and the fear of God, not merely for ability or prominence; character is what makes a person trustworthy. And seek to be, yourself, the kind of person Nehemiah trusted: faithful, and fearing God above many, so that you can be relied upon. Value and cultivate faithfulness and the fear of God, in whom you trust and in yourself, for these, more than talent, are what make a person worthy of trust, as they made Hananiah worthy to be put in charge of Jerusalem.

Lord, when the wall of Jerusalem was finished, Nehemiah had to put someone in charge of the city; and notice how he chose. He appointed Hananiah, and gave his reason: for he was a faithful man and feared God above many. The qualification he looked for was not chiefly ability or connection, but character: faithfulness and the fear of God. He entrusted responsibility to one whose character could be trusted. Show me what Nehemiah valued in choosing whom to trust: faithfulness and the fear of God. He did not choose chiefly for talent, prominence, or connection, but for character. Character, faithfulness and the fear of you, was what made a person trustworthy in his eyes. Take that to my heart, both in whom I trust and in what I myself become. In choosing whom to rely on, I can be drawn by talent, charm, or prominence, and overlook character; but Nehemiah valued faithfulness and the fear of you. And for myself, it is a reminder that the character that makes me trustworthy is not talent but faithfulness and the fear of you. When I consider whom to trust with responsibility, help me look, as Nehemiah did, for faithfulness and the fear of you, not merely for ability. And help me be, myself, the kind of person Nehemiah trusted: faithful, and fearing you above many. Help me value and cultivate faithfulness and the fear of you, Lord, in whom I trust and in myself, for these, more than talent, make a person worthy of trust.