In Nehemiah chapter 5, the work on the wall is progressing well, but the community of Jerusalem is beginning to fall apart. On the outside things are looking great, but on the inside, there is relationship breakdown, abuse of power and neglect for the poor. Nehemiah is not just there to get the wall up; he is also there to build a model community. He doesn’t just want a city that looks good from the outside; he wants a city that changes lives on the inside. This is what the Christian life is like. It’s not only important how our lives look to others, it is also important how our lives are changing to become more like Jesus. In the case of Jerusalem, God sent Nehemiah to teach them and show them how to live. In our case, he has given us Jesus. He is present with us each moment of every day to lead us and help us to live in a way that honours him.