Everyone Works for Jesus: The Power of “Next to Them”

Nehemiah 3 might not seem like a thrilling read. It’s a long list of names, gates, and construction details that most Bible readers skim. But if you slow down, you’ll find something extraordinary. This chapter is a picture of what happens when God’s people get to work—together.

When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, the city was in ruins. The walls were broken, the gates were burned, and the people were demoralized. Yet after his rallying cry—“Let us rise up and build!”—something miraculous happened. Ordinary men and women from every walk of life rolled up their sleeves and got to work.

The high priest didn’t stand on the sidelines giving orders. He picked up a trowel and started rebuilding the Sheep Gate (Nehemiah 3:1). That’s where the sacrifices entered the temple—a holy place of worship. It’s fitting that the work began there, because the rebuilding of Jerusalem wasn’t just physical; it was spiritual. God was renewing His people as they renewed their city.

From that first verse, the rhythm of the chapter begins to build: “Next to them,” “and beside them,” “after them.” Twenty times Nehemiah repeats the phrase. Over and over again, it’s the same refrain—next to them. Each family and each group worked on their section of the wall, right beside someone else doing their part.

There’s a lesson there for the church today. The work of God is not a solo project. It’s not about a few professionals doing ministry while everyone else watches. It’s an “all-play.” The high priest worked. The goldsmiths worked. The merchants worked. The daughters of one man worked. Everyone had a part to play.

That’s exactly how the New Testament describes the church. Paul says that when every part of the body does its work, the body “builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:16). The Christian life was never meant to be lived in isolation. God calls us to build His kingdom next to each other—to serve, give, pray, and love shoulder to shoulder.

It’s easy to underestimate what happens when ordinary people do ordinary things faithfully. But that’s how God builds extraordinary things. He takes our small acts of obedience and weaves them together into something eternal. When one family serves in the nursery, another leads worship, another teaches kids, and another greets guests at the door, the wall rises. The church gets stronger.

And just like in Nehemiah’s day, there’s always opposition. There are always critics who won’t pick up a stone or a shovel. But Nehemiah spends one verse on them and thirty-one on the people who worked. That’s a good ratio to remember. Focus on the ones who are building beside you. Thank God for the people who show up early, stay late, and serve with joy.

Nehemiah 3 reminds us that there is no unimportant part of God’s work. Every name matters. Every task matters. Every act of faithfulness matters.

So if you’re wondering where you fit in, start with this: you have a section of the wall. You have a place to serve, a way to build, and people to work beside. You don’t have to do everything—you just have to do your part.

Because at the end of the day, it’s not about me. It’s not about you. It’s not about any one of us.

Everyone works for Jesus.