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Nehemiah was angry. Chapter 5, verse 6 says he was very angry. We have already seen that Nehemiah was a very dedicated leader. He was not easily distracted and when issues came up, he dealt with them straight away. In this instance, he heard the cry of the people and “took counsel with himself”. It’s likely that a reflection into history, scripture, things he had learned as a child, and seeking God were part of this process. Nehemiah knew what God’s Law said about this very thing. Lending or borrowing money wasn’t forbidden but there was no place for mistreatment or taking unfair advantage of people in tight spots (Deuteronomy 23:19-20). 

Nehemiah might have been intimidated by confronting this wealthy group. He could have wondered what would happen to the wall repair project if he offended those with the means to financially support the rebuilding. But he didn’t seem to be concerned about that. His main concern was that God’s people were not caring for God’s people. It was more of a spiritual issue than an economic issue. 

Often the things going on in our hearts are revealed through our bank accounts. In other words, what we really care about is where our resources go. In considering the destination of your resources, what does that reveal about the condition of your heart? How closely are these two areas of your life connected?