‘The thing that you are doing is not good’, speaking out for justice

James Cathcart March 13, 2024 5 2

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Nehemiah 5: 1-13 (NRSVA)

1 Now there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish kin. 2 For there were those who said, ‘With our sons and our daughters, we are many; we must get grain, so that we may eat and stay alive.’ 3 There were also those who said, ‘We are having to pledge our fields, our vineyards, and our houses in order to get grain during the famine.’ 4 And there were those who said, ‘We are having to borrow money on our fields and vineyards to pay the king’s tax. 5 Now our flesh is the same as that of our kindred; our children are the same as their children; and yet we are forcing our sons and daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been ravished; we are powerless, and our fields and vineyards now belong to others.’

6 I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints. 7 After thinking it over, I brought charges against the nobles and the officials; I said to them, ‘You are all taking interest from your own people.’ And I called a great assembly to deal with them, 8 and said to them, ‘As far as we were able, we have bought back our Jewish kindred who had been sold to other nations; but now you are selling your own kin, who must then be bought back by us!’ They were silent, and could not find a word to say. 9 So I said, ‘The thing that you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God, to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? 10 Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us stop this taking of interest. 11 Restore to them, this very day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the interest on money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.’ 12 Then they said, ‘We will restore everything and demand nothing more from them. We will do as you say.’ And I called the priests, and made them take an oath to do as they had promised. 13 I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, ‘So may God shake out everyone from house and from property who does not perform this promise. Thus may they be shaken out and emptied.’ And all the assembly said, ‘Amen’, and praised the Lord. And the people did as they had promised.

A pause in the building, when Nehemiah stands before the rogue’s gallery who have been taking advantage of others, and calls them out:

“The thing that you are doing is not good.

Just quit it.

Cut it out.

Dunzo.

The thing that you are doing is not good.

There’s no call for it.

Nae justification.

Nae excuses.

Nae edge cases

or ends justifies the means,

or bigger picture,

or mitigating circumstances.

The thing that you are doing is not good.

Get a grip!

Pull yourself the’gether!

State of you!

Whit you playing at?

The thing that you are doing is not good.

Look into the eyes of another human being and treat them like one!

A human being worthy of dignity and respect,

love and kindness.

Get on wi’ it!”

Prayer:

Lord in Heaven,

May we be a force urging

humanity and kindness

compassion and care,

welfare, dignity, and agency,

so that we might proudly look one another in the eye and say:

“The thing that you are doing is good.”

Amen.