Nehemiah 3:14
“But the dung gate repaired Malchiah the son of Rechab, the ruler of part of Bethhaccerem; he built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.”
During my high school daysI worked at a paper factory. Once a year someone had to go into a tar tank and clean the slag from the walls of the tank and coils. It was one of the most unpleasant duties that most tried to avoid. When I was approached and told that I was chosen to do this job I was not excited about it, but I didn’t complain about it either. I took the job and turned what was an unpleasant duty into something that was a challenge to finish in record time. This allowed me to take my mind off the unpleasantries of the job and focus on the job that needed to be done.
Malchiah was the one who was chosen to build a gate by one of the most unpleasant spots in Jerusalem. He was given the task of rebuilding the dung gate. Yes, that is the place where the human wastes would be carried out. It was not a pleasant job. You must realize in those days there was no way to cover the smell. This man took what was unpleasant and completed the job that many would not have done. It was important that he did his job for the enemy would have easily used that portion of the wall to enter if someone wasn’t willing to rebuild the wall and the gate by the pile of dung.
Life’s duties are not always going to be pleasant. One of the things we must be careful about is that we don’t fall into the trap of avoiding the unpleasant things in life. There are unpleasant duties that everyone must do. There are unpleasant duties on the job, in the church, at your home and in life, but they must be done or they will become a place that will harm you in the future.
One of the best ways I have learned to handle unpleasant duties is to get them done right away. At the writing of this devotional, my daughter is going through algebra. Like her dad, she does not like this subject. One day while she was doing her schoolwork I asked her how much more schoolwork she had to do. She told me she was coming down to her last subject, algebra. She said she saved it to last because she didn’t like the subject. I told her that the best way to deal with unpleasant subjects is to sandwich them between two enjoyable subjects. I told her to start her day with an easy subject, then take on her algebra, then go back and do a subject she liked. By approaching it this way she could keep her algebra from being that albatross she had to do everyday. Instead of avoiding the unpleasant duties in life, get them done quickly so you can get on to the things you do enjoy.
Furthermore, don’t ever think you are beyond unpleasant duties. Malchiah was one of the rulers. Though he was a ruler he still showed those under him that he wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. Every leader should show those they lead that they are not afraid to do unpleasant jobs. Leaders who won’t do the unpleasant duties with their followers are not worthy of leadership. You will gain great respect if you will do the unpleasant duties with those you lead.
What are the unpleasantries you avoid? Instead of avoiding them, get them done immediately. Don’t put it off, for the longer you put if off the more unpleasant it becomes. If you will get in done promptly, you will find that the unpleasant duties won’t nag you the whole day and your day will become more pleasant.