I Want To Build The Dung Gate

Good news everybody! I have FINALLY decided what I want to be when I grow up. Yes, I know...I should have probably figured it out when I was in college. But alas you can't always get what you want. Are you ready?

I want to be ruler of the district of Beth Hakkerem. Seriously. Specifically I want to be Malkijah. Please note that I don't actually want to be named Malkijah, but I would suffice with doing what he did. Nehemiah 3:14 tells us a little bit about him. He is the guy that build the Dung Gate. Yep that's right. My life ambition is to build the Dung Gate. The Poopy Door. The Doodoo Threshold (While the list of words for poop is near limitless, I must stop because their aren't that many words for door).

It might not seem like much, but as I was reading through Nehemiah it struck me. Can you imagine being this guy? The humility that it would take. Malkijah was a ruler. He was upper class. Yet he was willing to swallow his pride and build the most foul of doors. I doubt everyone was fighting over who got the honor of that. He could have fought over building the most prestigious of entries, but he didn't.

And imagine what would happen if the Dung Gate wasn't built. The chaos. Dung EVERYWHERE. It'd be stuck in the city. That is not a city I would want to live in. That would be a very unclean place to live. And that just simply wouldn't fly for a Jewish holy city. So while it wasn't the most prestigious or glorious of tasks, it was crucial.

So here is my point, this ruler was willing to do what needed to be done. Lots of people in our generation are still wondering where to go with their lives. It isn't an easy thing to decide. For one, there are generally a whole chorus of voices singing into megaphones that also seem to be echoing in a canyon. For two, there is a constant social pressure to make lots and lots of money.

So here is what I propose: Do what needs to be done. The world is full of need. A lot of those needs are not  all that prestigious. Sometimes you've got to do what has to be done. So look around. What need do you see in the world that burns you up. Then try and fix it. It's really that simple.

You will be happy. You might be poor, but you will be happy. There are a lot of kids that need taught. There are a lot of people that need food and water. There are a lot of people that can't afford basic medicine. There are a lot of churches that need planted. There are a lot of women that suffer daily in slavery.

Malkijah built the Dung Gate. What great things will you do with your life?