Session 3

Every Little Bit Matters

From Nehemiah: A 13-Day Devotional

We were not designed to bear burdens alone. When we see the brokenness in the world, the solutions seem overwhelming. A God-sized vision is simply too big for any one of us. We need help.

God gave Nehemiah a desire to see Jerusalem’s wall rebuilt, but Nehemiah did not complete the task on his own. Nehemiah 3 lists 43 different groups of people who helped to bring the wall to completion. The historian Josephus recorded the circumference of Jerusalem’s walls at about 4.5 miles. Other sources tell us the wall was 15 feet thick and perhaps 12 feet high. Rebuilding the wall was a big job.

When we’re using our gifts and working together, we can make a bigger difference than any one of us would alone.

The way the people came together to rebuild the wall is a great example of how the church was designed to function. The church’s mission—to go into all the world and make disciples—is too big for one person. Some completed large sections of the wall while others made small repairs. But, everyone shared the burden in some way. Everyone worked hard on a specific task, and together they finished the job. These people were not professional builders; they were ordinary people willing to follow an extraordinary vision.

We all have a role in the church (Romans 12:4-8). When you’re tempted to wonder whether your little bit matters, remember: You make a huge difference! We are all ordinary people with unique gifts. But when we’re using our gifts and working together, we can make a bigger difference than any one of us would alone.

Consider This:

How can you use your unique gifts and talents to build the church?

Pray:

Jesus, I am ready to make a deeper commitment to helping complete the mission of the church. Show me where my gifts and talents fit in.