His enemies requested for a dialogue session. We are told:

Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies found out that I had finished rebuilding the wall and that no gaps remained—though we had not yet set up the doors in the gates. So Sanballat and Geshem sent a message asking me to meet them at one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But I realized they were plotting to harm me (1-2).

Today, we would like to discuss and ponder the topic of ‘Employee loyalty’. Just recently, a few young people in the church mentioned it as a workplace reality these days. From time to time, we would hear about a friend who was retrenched the moment he reached middle age after working in the company for about twenty years.  On one hand, a lot of companies seem ‘heartless’ in terminating their long-term staff with hardly any room for negotiation. On the other hand, many enterprises place an emphasis on the loyalty of employees during recruitment.

The rich were taking advantage of the Poor. Previously outsiders like Sanballat and a company of hooligans created problems. Now the problem has come from within (which is always harder to solve). 

Earlier on, the first internal crisis had to do with too much to do but too little people to help.  "The strength of the burden bearers is failing, and there is too much rubbish so that we are unable to work on the wall" (4:10). In other words, there was lack of human resources. Nehemiah solved the problem by adding reinforcement (cf. 4:13). 

How time flies! In the blink of an eye, a few months have passed. Dear friends, how many of your New Year resolutions have been fulfilled? How many have not? Maybe there are some goals that have yet to be accomplished because of inadequate time.

And even as I say this, I hope that our friends here will protest loudly: “No, Angelie, you are wrong! I have achieved my targets exceedingly.”

In Chapter 3:1-32, we see the people at work. We have a directory list of names and all kinds of gates mentioned. What a sight to see that everyone was working! The repair work was divided up by the 10 various gates - each assigned to certain leaders. Sheep gate (3:1-2), fish gate 3-5, old city gate 6-12, valley gate 3:13 and dung gate 3:14.

Division of Labour: Construction of Northern and Western Walls (1-14)

Today, we are introducing Xue Mei, the Principal of Yu Ren Chinese Tuition Centre in Singapore. She is a sister-in-Christ who strives hard in the workplace, and was featured in an interview article in Singapore’s ‘Heartbeat’ newsletter.

Opportunities for the turning point

In 1995, Xue Mei got married and moved from Sichuan, China to Singapore when she was in her twenties where she embarked on a new chapter in her life journey.

He spoke to the monarch with submission and respect (2:3a), in a straightforward manner (2:3b) rather than using his "positional power".  The king acceded and giving him more than he requested (2:8b, 9). Obviously, he found favour with the king. Why? Possibly, it could it be because he had displayed good attitude and aptitude as a worker? It could also be he had done his homework and asked what he needed (2:7,8a).