Faith Over Frugality | Nehemiah 13:10-14

I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field. So I confronted the officials and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them together and set them in their stations. Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were considered reliable, and their duty was to distribute to their brothers. Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service. — Nehemiah 13:10-14

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What is happening here is that Nehemiah discovers that the Levites were not receiving their allowances for temple service so they could attend to the Temple. So, to break this down for you, there were two major groups of people who served in the temple: Priests and Levites. Priests performed sacrifices and rituals, served as mediators between God and his people, and taught the Law of Moses. Levites were the support system for the priests performing Temple duties; they were involved in worship and other administrative tasks. The primary difference was ancestral. Priests were from the lineage of Aaron. Levites were from the lineage of Levi.

In this situation, the Levites were not being cared for financially by the people, so they had to go back to civil work, which took them away from their religious work. Thus, the temple service was being neglected, and priests were bearing the load because the people of God were not giving sacrificially as directed.

Here's the lesson: Sometimes, what appears to be practical and frugal is not always right and righteous.

Here's what I mean. God always wants us to give him our best. Sometimes, giving him our very best pushes the limits of our reasonable ability. We don't always like this because we trust our reasonable ability more than we trust God. But when we push our reasonable limits to live in obedience, we put ourselves sacrificially in the hands of a great and trustworthy God. It is here, in this moment, that we experience faith. This is what Nehemiah wants from the people. He wants them to give God their best, stretching their limits just enough so that they will live by faith, trusting that in giving God their best in the administration of the Temple to the Levites that, God will provide for them.

Most believers miss out on this because they give God what is practical and reasonable. So maybe for you, it's time to be unreasonable. Be more unreasonable today with your time, talents, and treasures. Don't be stupid, but be more unreasonable because our understanding of unreasonable is usually just being faithful to a trustworthy and generous God.

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ASK THIS:

Reflect on a time when you chose practicality over faithfulness in your giving (time, talent, or treasure). How did it affect your relationship with God and your ability to serve Him fully?
Considering Nehemiah's example of confronting neglect and ensuring the Levites were provided for, how can you push beyond what is "reasonable" in your own life to serve God's kingdom sacrificially? What specific steps can you take to start this journey of faith-driven generosity?

DO THIS: Live in faith even if it is unreasonable to you.

PRAY THIS: Lord, help me to trust You beyond my own understanding of what is reasonable, guiding me to give sacrificially and serve Your kingdom with all that I am. Strengthen my faith so I may live boldly for You, knowing You are always faithful to provide. Amen.

PLAY THIS: Living Sacrifice.