Devotion
The poor work so the rich may live
David Jacobs

The income gap is a problem that has not gone away. It has existed as long as modern civilization. Today, the 8 richest people in the world have the same amount of wealth as the poorest's 50 percent. Read that again! There is a growing and dangerous concentration of wealth in the modern world. If a small number of people control so much wealth and power, what does that mean for the rest of us?

As I previously stated, this problem has existed as long as civilization. In these verses, the people of Judah are rising up against those in power. They go to Nehemiah, demanding that something should be done. The wealthy have taxed the people so heavily that some of the working class must sell their children to slavery! The people of Israel have escaped slavery from other nations several times already in the Old Testament, but now they must deal with it from their own people!

Nehemiah goes to the nobles and rulers and demands that things change. It seems that the Babylonian exile may have changed the way the rulers thought about their own brethren and more importantly, it seems that they have stopped fearing the Lord their God. The strong words of Nehemiah change that, and the working people no longer suffer as before.

Prayer

Imagine if the wealthiest on earth could listen to the similar logic: Oh! How the world would change for better! We must remain steadfast and focus not on the wealth of this world, but on the bounty of riches that await us, devotees of Christ, if we follow the path of Christ. Unlike the wealthiest in Nehemiah's time and now, the meek shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). Thanks be to God!