We were studying Nehemiah in our leadership gathering on Friday. One of the first settings is Hanani, Nehemiah's brother, coming back from a trip to Jerusalem. Nehemiah inquired about the condition of the people there that had returned from exile in other kingdoms. The report from Hanani: they are in trouble and they are disgraced.

Nehemiah's response teaches me something......he wept (in fact it records that it impacted him for several days). His heart was broken over the condition of his homeland. Mind you, a homeland that he most likely had never been to, that his parents and probably his grandparents had probably never been to either. And he still wept - remarkable.

I think this is the first step in change - my heart has to break; I have to weep over the situation; I mean really weep; really be broken. Only then I will really understand, deep down in my soul, that something needs to change. Only then will I be energized to make the change that needs to be made.

I guess the question is what does my heart need to break for? I am reminded of Jesus words as he looked over the city of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives - O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing (Matt 23:37). How this must have broke his heart - he longed for them to hear him; they were not willing. I think this is where God wants my heart to break. Jesus gave us a command - go into all the world and teach others about him.....

My heart has to break for the world around me; then my behavior will change.