Nehemiah 10-11

Mattaniah was the one who began the thanksgiving with prayer. Several verses later we find he and his relatives were also in charge of the songs of praise. If you skip over the long list of hard-to-pronounce names, you miss the little gems thrown in.

I’m thinking about Mattaniah this morning. Of all the men listed, he was the one who opened with prayer. He was in charge of the song portion of worship.

But what stood out to me was the fact his relatives served alongside him. What an example he was for his family. He was a praying man. He was a praising man. And Scripture tells us his relatives followed his example.

The music minister of my church has been with us for many years. His sons grew up in the church and are now adult men. Today, both boys serve alongside their dad, one as the youth pastor, the other as the bass player, and both are on the worship team their dad leads every Sunday. I can’t imagine a bigger blessing for a parent than to serve God shoulder to shoulder with your children.

So the little gem I found today in the book of Nehemiah was Mattaniah. The big truth I recognized is the fact that our lives, the choices we make, and the evidence of our commitment to Jesus are the footsteps our children are following.

My question is, where are your footsteps leading your children?