Everyone did their bit

Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They built as far as the Tower of the Hundred, and consecrated it, then as far as the Tower of Hananel. Next to Eliashib the men of Jericho built. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built.
Also the sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and hung its doors with its bolts and bars. And next to them Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz, made repairs. Next to them Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabel, made repairs. Next to them Zadok the son of Baana made repairs. Next to them the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles did not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord.- Nehemiah 3.1-5

When you read Ezra chapter 3 at first glimpse it looks like just a big list of names kind of like you might see at the beginning of Chronicles.

But as we read it we see the amazing story.

Then Eliashib …rose up...and built…Next to Eliashib the men of Jericho built.. And next to them Zaccur the son of Imri built…

And so it goes verse after verse. Everyone pitched it to build the wall and do the repairs and they work all butted up against the next guy. No matter what their normal profession everyone did their bit in doing the building. (There is an interesting note that the nobles did no work. I’m not sure what to make of that).

But for the most part the integrity of the wall depended on everyone doing their part. If anyone let down or failed there would be a breach in the wall and it would be open to the enemy.

This is kind of teamwork that Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 12.  Every member of the body has their own job to do. If one member of the body fails something does not get done. If we don’t all do our part there will be a chink in our armour.

In Ephesians Paul actually speaks of the church as a building where all the parts are ‘fitly joined together.’ Everyone has their place.

We are not all meant for the same job in the same place. Everyone must do their part, not someone else's. Only then can we be about doing God’s work properly.