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Your Faithfulness Matters
Roll call.
That simple routine at the start of the day—a short list of names, read out loud by the teacher while everyone waited for theirs to be called.
“Friesen?”
“Here.”
“Gauthier?”
“Here.” That was me—hand raised, voice steady, sitting right between Friesen and Hawkins.
It was just a name, but there was something about hearing it—being recognized, counted, and known—that made you feel seen. Like you belonged.
That’s the feeling I get when I read Nehemiah chapter 11. At first glance, it looks like a long list of names and places—pages you might be tempted to skim. But don’t miss what’s really happening here. These were men and women who showed up when it mattered. Some were chosen to live inside the walls of Jerusalem. Others stayed in nearby towns. Some served as priests. Others were gatekeepers, officials, or simply heads of their households.
Different locations. Different assignments. Same faithful God. Same holy calling.
Not everyone led worship. Not everyone stood at the altar. But every one of them had a part to play. And it mattered.
The sacred and the practical stood shoulder to shoulder—equal in value, equally honored in the eyes of the Lord.
As I got to reading it over this week, I was reminded of a moment in 1 Samuel 30. David and his men were in pursuit of the Amalekites—400 of them charged ahead into battle, while 200 stayed behind, too exhausted to continue. They weren’t lazy. They weren’t unwilling. They simply didn’t have the strength to go any farther.
But when the victory was won and the spoils were recovered, some of the warriors didn’t think those who stayed behind should get a share.
David shut down that thinking real quick.
“The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.” (v. 24, NIV)
That was leadership grounded in godly perspective.
Sometimes God calls us to the front lines. And other times? He assigns us to the supply station.
Different roles. Same mission.
Different assignments. Same reward.
Because when your heart is surrendered to Him, every act of obedience becomes Kingdom work.
So let me remind you today—ministry isn’t limited to pulpits and platforms. It happens at the kitchen table. In the office. On a phone call. In the quiet. In the background. Wherever God has placed you, your obedience matters.
That’s the beauty of Nehemiah 11. Every name was written. Every role was remembered. Because faithfulness, in any form, is always seen by God.
This Week’s Printable
Here is this week’s printable. Click the image to view and print a higher resolution.
Once again, I’m a bit behind with this post, but God keeps prompting me to post this. It’s a rough time right now. A couple weeks ago, we quite unexpectedly lost our son-in-law at only 38 years of age. I learned that he had recently been wondering if people really cared, noticed, appreciated the things he did for God. Those small things and the big things, those things that sometimes go unnoticed and the things that really get attention. Just like the people listed in this book of Nehemiah. Some did small things, some large, some didn’t take a lot of effort, some took a ton of effort. But we still take notice of them today. They had no idea that centuries later their efforts would still be remembered by a group of ladies studying Nehemiah together. At the services and in the gifts, my daughter was constantly amazed, speechless, humbled to see how many people had been touched by her husband’s life. People she’d never even heard of from him showed up or gave something to help. Even the church is coming together to help finish projects at their home that he was in the midst of finishing. It’s like watching a miracle. So yes, those things we do for God are noticed maybe not immediately or with a lot of fanfare, but they are noticed. God smiles on those things and brings His people together to see that it all matters. All of these witnesses will continue to live on and accomplish what He intends. So keep on doing whatever it is that you’ve been given to do. As long as it is done unto Him, it matters.