House of Heroes

Nehemiah 3:16 Beyond him, Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of a half-district of Beth Zur, made repairs up to a point opposite the tombs of David, as far as the artificial pool and the House of the Heroes.

Sometimes we wonder if the things we are accomplishing in life really matter. We wonder if they make any permanent positive contribution to the welfare of others and the establishment of God’s rule here on earth. Do the things we are doing really make a difference?

This is brought to life during this particular time in our lives when so much of what so many have worked for and strived to achieve seems to be going up in smoke and vapors. Businesses that will never open again. Hard work over years of time that just seem to fade away. Heartache and sorrow, confusion and anger. Do the things we are doing really make a difference?

The book of Nehemiah is the second half of the two part writing Ezra-Nehemiah that have a central structure and theme. They are connected by more than the fact that they are next to each other in our English bibles. They tell of the hope we have in the LORD’s plan and the utter failure of humans to make that plan happen apart from Him.

From this section of Nehemiah we read about those who rebuilt sections of the walls of Jerusalem and its gates. What I find interesting is that specific people and specific projects are outlined. People of various backgrounds and professions were involved in rebuilding this wall around the city. It seems as though they often rebuilt sections right where they lived and worked.

They seemed to have taken ownership of their work and of their piece of the project as a whole. So the writer gives them credit. They are not nameless workers; they have value as individuals.

And right in the middle of this long outline of the rebuilding project is a landmark called the “House of the Heroes.” Think Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC. Think Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem or DC. Think of the monuments that are being torn down that gave an anchor to our history in individuals and movements.

So this “House of the Heroes” was just a landmark somewhere in the city of Jerusalem that marked the end of one section of wall repairs. But they were willing to remember their history, good, bad and rebellious. They could celebrate and remember, but they had also just lived out the negative consequences of the failures of some of those heroes failures. They had just returned from 70 years in exile.

It is important to have heroes. We need people to look up to. Those who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem were important enough in God’s plan that their names were included in Scripture. Were they perfect people? Absolutely not! But they are worth remembering because their contribution moved the restoration of God’s kingdom a little further along.

You see, the LORD uses ordinary, everyday people to accomplish His purpose of showing His life to the world. He does what He does so that people will see Him in us. We are the vessel in which He resides. If we are clean, then He shines all the brighter. If we are dirty, then people see our dirt more than His light.

I don’t know about you, but I want Him to shine ever brighter. I want to be seen less, and for Him to shine more.