Nehemiah Did the Right Thing
Month 11: Living It Out · Bible Story
Today's Scripture
Read together: Nehemiah 5:14-19
14 Furthermore, from the day King Artaxerxes appointed me to be their governor in the land of Judah, from his twentieth year until his thirty-second year (twelve years total), neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. 15 The governors before me had heavily burdened the people, taking from them bread and wine plus forty shekels of silver. Their servants also oppressed the people. But I did not do this, because of my fear of God. 16 Instead, I devoted myself to the construction of the wall, and all my servants were gathered there for the work; we did not acquire any land. 17 There were 150 Jews and officials at my table, besides the guests from the surrounding nations. 18 Each day one ox, six choice sheep, and some fowl were prepared for me, and once every ten days an abundance of all kinds of wine was provided. But I did not demand the food allotted to the governor, because the burden on the people was so heavy. 19 Remember me favorably, O my God, for all that I have done for this people.
Memory Verse
“He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”— Micah 6:8 (BSB)memorize this week
📖 Bible-in-a-Year (optional)
Today's reading: Jeremiah 26-28
Reading the whole Bible in a year — do this when you have extra time. (Around Day 315 of 365 — Jeremiah is threatened for telling the truth, and a false prophet is exposed.)The Heart of It
Nehemiah was the governor of a whole region. Governors back then were allowed to take a generous "food allowance" from the people. The people paid for it out of their own pockets. The governors before him had done exactly that. They piled heavy taxes on people who were already poor and hungry. Nehemiah could have done the same, and nobody would have blamed him. It was completely legal. But he wrote, "So I did not do so, because of the fear of God" (). Instead of taking what he was owed, he fed a hundred and fifty people at his own table every day. He never grabbed land or money for himself. He chose what was right over what was allowed.
That is the difference between being good and just being legal. Lots of things are legal that are still unkind, greedy, or selfish. A true disciple asks a bigger question than "Can I get away with this?" Nehemiah asked, "What does God want from me here?" That is exactly what our memory verse is about. Do justly, which means be fair. Love mercy, which means be kind. And walk humbly with God, which means stay close and obey Him. Nehemiah lived all three at once, in public, where everyone could see. At the end he prayed, "Remember me, my God, for good" (v. 19). He knew the One whose opinion mattered most was watching.
Around the Table
Nehemiah was a boss who could have taken extra food and money, but he shared with hungry people instead — because he loved God.
Let's do it: Share something of yours with someone today, and whisper, "I'm doing the kind thing for God."
Nehemiah did the right thing even when the wrong thing was allowed. Doing what's fair and kind matters more than doing only what we can get away with.
Let's talk: Can you think of something that's allowed but still not very kind? What would Jesus do instead?
Nehemiah held real power. He chose justice and generosity "because of the fear of God," not because anyone forced him. Character shows up most where rules don't reach.
Let's go deeper: When you have power or freedom that no rule limits, what will decide how you use it?
💬 Conversation Starter
If you found a wallet on the ground with money in it, and nobody saw you, what would you do? And why?— Doing right when no one is watching is what real character looks like.
🛡️ Defending the Faith
Sometimes people say, "You only behave because you're afraid of getting caught." You can point to people like Nehemiah. He did right when no one was watching and no rule required it. A Christian's goodness is meant to come from love for God, not fear of punishment. That's a kind, confident answer in the spirit of .
For Dad · Go Deeper
Nehemiah's integrity had a price tag. He walked away from money, perks, and privilege that were legally his. And he absorbed the cost of feeding others out of his own pocket. Notice the engine that drove him: "the fear of God." Not fear of voters, fear of scandal, or fear of getting caught, but reverence for an audience of One. Dad, your kids are forming their picture of integrity by watching how you handle the gray areas. The expense you could fudge. The discount you weren't entitled to. The corner no one would notice you cutting. The world calls it "smart." Scripture calls it loving justice and mercy. A father who is honest only when watched is teaching his children to be honest only when watched. Choose, like Nehemiah, to live for the God who never looks away.
Draws on: Tony Evans, Kingdom Man.
Let's Pray Together
"Father, thank You for Nehemiah, who did the right thing even when the wrong thing was allowed. Teach our family to be fair and kind. Help us stay close to You and do what is right, even when no one is watching. In Jesus' name, amen."
The real question isn't "Can I get away with it?" but "What does God want me to do?"