We conclude our study of Nehemiah’s account of rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall with a look at divine humility. How is humility tied to spiritual renewal? And what role does it play in renewing our city and serving (and leading) those around us?

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Grace is one of the hardest things to relate to, accept or believe. It doesn’t feel right to us. It operates according to a logic that runs counter to what we want or expect. However, it’s important that we understand it more deeply, because God has inextricably bound his plans for individuals, communities and cities to grace.

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Washington DC is said to be in a struggle between being a beautiful city and being a just city. As you read scripture, it’s hard to deny that all people are called to work for justice, no matter what trade they practice. How does the Christian faith equip us to pursue a beautifully just city—a city that flourishes for all people?

As the Israelites began rebuilding their temple wall, they quickly realized that doing something worth doing didn’t mean there wouldn’t be opposition or difficulties. Today, as we try to honor God’s character and purposes in our day-to-day work, we are likely to run into opposition, too—sometimes from others, and sometimes from our own ingrained habits. But Nehemiah reminds us that God has provided us with everything we need to learn to trust Him and overcome.

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We have a tendency to consider work a necessary evil, but nothing could be farther from the truth. The work we do in this world comes in a host of guises, but it’s all a necessary good. We’re called to work, and whatever conflicts or set-backs we experience, work draws us into a new community.

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In some way, shape or form, we all work. Our work at home, at our jobs, in our relationships and in our city is caught up in God’s work. And God’s work—making our city a just, prosperous and beautiful place—is caught up in the work of our day-to-day lives.

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Cities are important parts of human life—they are centers of arts, culture, academics, science, industry and government, as well as the best places to see a country’s gods and idols. What does it mean to care for a city? How do we know a city and feel for it well enough that we can pray over it in our lives and serve it in our work?

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