Thursday, November 6th, 2025
The mark of a mature Christian is their ability to not put God in a box nor put themselves in a box. Our immaturity leads us to believe that God is not able, that He must work within the confines of our brain, and that He must work only in ways that we have experienced before. Maturity helps us understand that none of these are true. But often, we also put ourselves in a box based on what we think of our skills, weaknesses, or opportunities. Is that any less destructive to our ability to walk in victory?
There is one scripture in Nehemiah that I think captures this point wonderfully. Let’s look at Nehemiah 3:8:
8 Next to him Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs. Also next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs; and they fortified Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.
While reading this I was drawn to the words goldsmith and perfumer. Nehemiah wanted us to understand that Uzziel was really a goldsmith by trade and that Hananiah was a perfumer (or apothecary). In this season however, they were not needed in these trades, they were needed to help build and repair the wall. Their identity or their ability to complete God’s will was not confined by their earthly “jobs”. They received the Holy anointing to do what it was that was needed in each season.
Final Thoughts…
This is the question I keep hearing as I think about this simple scripture: Is our identity immersed in what we do or who we serve? What if Uzziel had said, “Oh no, you must be confused, I am not a carpenter or mason, I am a goldsmith.”? What if Hananiah had disqualified himself because his skills didn’t align to the assignment? That would have been two less people to repair the wall. Would they still have been successful? 1 Corinthians 12 says that all parts of the body are unique and important. If even one part rebels or tries to remove itself, the body will cease to exist in it’s fullest capacity.