Defending their right to rebuild the wall, the men wore their swords at all times, even as they continued to work on the wall.
Of course there were adversaries. There will always be adversaries to come up against those who try to build up something for themselves and for the people they love. One doesn't have to protect oneself unless you anticipate or already have adversaries. One doesn't have to build walls if you are safe. And, this it seems to me, was/is a very good reason for a wall. It is a safety feature that will enable the people to better monitor who will come and go within the confines of the city. The gates can be shut, if need be, to guard against wolves who would enter, steal, and destroy.
Why do we live in square homes with walls? Is it not to protect ourselves from nature, from people, and to keep our property safe? Do most of us (in America) not lock our doors? How many fences and gates have you seen? And... why? To protect not only their property, but the people who live on that property as well? Walls and gates... It would be nice if we lived in a society, in a world, where neither were necessary. It would be awesome if things like greed, jealousy, anger did not exist. But, we do not live in Paradise. And... the people who built the wall around Jerusalem did not, either. It was tough going for those who had just returned from exile to a city that had been destroyed. There were those who wanted the city to stay destroyed. That was evident by the fact that in order to build it, they had to be armed.
Ok.... So I've done my best this morning not to show my bias'. I think I may have failed. My point is (and it is only my point - you may very well disagree with me - and that, too, is your right): who are we to judge if people build walls to protect themselves and their property?
Of course there were adversaries. There will always be adversaries to come up against those who try to build up something for themselves and for the people they love. One doesn't have to protect oneself unless you anticipate or already have adversaries. One doesn't have to build walls if you are safe. And, this it seems to me, was/is a very good reason for a wall. It is a safety feature that will enable the people to better monitor who will come and go within the confines of the city. The gates can be shut, if need be, to guard against wolves who would enter, steal, and destroy.
Why do we live in square homes with walls? Is it not to protect ourselves from nature, from people, and to keep our property safe? Do most of us (in America) not lock our doors? How many fences and gates have you seen? And... why? To protect not only their property, but the people who live on that property as well? Walls and gates... It would be nice if we lived in a society, in a world, where neither were necessary. It would be awesome if things like greed, jealousy, anger did not exist. But, we do not live in Paradise. And... the people who built the wall around Jerusalem did not, either. It was tough going for those who had just returned from exile to a city that had been destroyed. There were those who wanted the city to stay destroyed. That was evident by the fact that in order to build it, they had to be armed.
Ok.... So I've done my best this morning not to show my bias'. I think I may have failed. My point is (and it is only my point - you may very well disagree with me - and that, too, is your right): who are we to judge if people build walls to protect themselves and their property?
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