Nehemiah could have enjoyed the pleasures and the comfort of living in a palace and had just stayed there, but that wasn’t enough for him. Sometimes, in order to follow the burden the Lord has placed on us, we must leave the comfort of our surroundings, friends, or position in order to go to the land unfamiliar but full of God’s harvest!!
A Leader Must Catch God’s Vision
Nehemiah began his journey to Jerusalem. When he arrived, he went at night, along with a few others to personally assess the damage and the work needed to rebuild the wall. Nehemiah had to catch the vision alone, without anyone’s input/opinion, before he could lead others in the work God had given him to do.
Later on Nehemiah communicated the vision of rebuilding the wall to the Israelites. They began the work by having the priests build the Sheep gate. All the other various gates and walls were built by other Jewish families, each in cooperation and along side of other families. It was a beautiful picture of people who were willing to work with one another to complete the wall, starting with the priests. To rebuild/restore, God’s leaders must set the example for others!!
Opposition Does Not Dissuade a Leader
Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their reproach on their own heads, and give them as plunder to a land of captivity! Do not cover their iniquity, and do not let their sin be blotted out from before You; for they have provoked You to anger before the builders. Nehemiah 4:4-45
The opposition started to rise against the building project. On one hand, Nehemiah kept interceding on behalf of the people. On the other hand, he was encouraging those who were weary and afraid. Finally it was decided that they would have to hold a weapon with one hand and work at construction with other hand.
This is where a lot of leaders get discouraged because they think if this is the work God has given them, there shouldn’t be opposition to it. Nehemiah didn’t take any of the opposition personally, and neither did he become disillusioned or discouraged because of it. God had given him such a vision for the condition of the people and the ruined walls, that nothing was going to stop him from finishing the task!!
What are the burdens and/or tasks that God has given you? Have you been discouraged in fulfilling your assignment because there were too many barriers in your path? Do you still remember the vision God gave you concerning the situation? Does it still hold true? Would you recommit yourself to working on the task without losing heart? If it is God’s vision, He will do His part to bring the assignment to completion in His time!!
A Leader Is a Reconciler
When Nehemiah saw that the Jewish people were taking advantage of each other, he had to rebuke some of them and ask them to stop oppressing the poor among them. A Godly leader who judges righteously, at some point will not be popular with his own because he will have to stand for righteousness over his own relationships. He has to remain impartial towards anyone or any group of people. To expect a man or woman of God to be partial towards us is not only foolish, but it is also sinful!! God has said that He hates differing scales. We must guard ourselves from partiality, and also not expect others to have differing scales because of our relationship with them.
God has given each of us the Ministry of Reconciliation. It doesn’t sound like a fancy task, but it is such a crucial assignment!! The majority of our life issues are relational issues. Our problems are either in relationship to the Lord or in relationship with others. As a result, it is important to realize the significance of this assignment as we help reconcile people to God, or to others. Nehemiah was able to settle the matters among the Jewish brothers, and they each promised to do their part to treat each other properly and follow the rules established by God.
A Leader Remains Sacrificial
One of the things that really touches me about Nehemiah was his sacrificial generosity. This man had left the comfort of a palace to be among the Jewish people. He rolled up his sleeves by getting in the dirt and mud, with a lot of tears, sweat, and prayers to rebuild the wall. He even put his own life in danger, but when it came to enjoying the benefits of being a governor, this is what he said:
Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the governor’s provisions. But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of God. Indeed, I also continued the work on this wall, and we did not buy any land. All my servants were gathered there for the work. Nehemiah 5:14-16
What an example of sacrificial leadership!! His work was truly for God and unto God!! He did not come to this place for privileges, but he came to serve and help a group of helpless and hopeless people. He came to bring them to health and restoration. That is called dedication to the call of God, and love for his people!! He just blesses me.
Additionally, the scripture tells us that he fed 150 people every day at his table. This leader was an inclusive man. He wasn’t just around his group of friends. As a matter of fact, there is no mention of anyone being called a friend by Nehemiah while he spent 12 years there. If he had them, that wasn’t his focus. He was there for God’s assignment and nothing was going to derail him.
We will continue with this topic in the next devotional. It’s a good time to pause and evaluate the areas that need growth and change. Ask the Lord to help you with those areas. If we want to reflect the Lord’s leadership in people’s lives, we must conform to His ways of leading!!