Leadership to me encompasses the ability to be able to understand the needs of an organisation or people, to see how those needs can be met, understand the resources and requirements that are needed to met those needs, and then to be able to sell a vision of how they can be achieved. Nehemiah Chapters 1 and 2 illustrate how effectively Nehemiah went through this process. As we come to the end of Chapter 2 we see how Nehemiah took time to work out the resources and requirements formulated a plan about how rebuilding the walls could be achieved and then sold the vision to the leaders and people of Jerusalem.
The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing, because as yet I had said nothing
To the Jews or the priests or nobles or officials or any others who would be doing the work.
Nehemiah had to keep the leaders of Jerusalem in the dark before he could tell them something
He needed to be sure of what needed doing and prepare a plan for them that would work
Nehemiah had prayed and planned, he knew God’s favour and he believed he could do something
He could rebuild the walls of Jerusalem with the people’s help, he had show them it could work
Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned
With fire, come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.”
Nehemiah acknowledged where the people were at that they were in trouble and that felt by God spurned
He stated the obvious that the city was in ruins and it gates burned, a place of disgrace
But Nehemiah didn’t just leave them where they were instead he call on them to rebuild, be determined
To overcome their disgrace to once again be proud of their city and know again a God of grace
I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me.
They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.
Nehemiah shared with them all that God had done for him, and how King Artaxerxes could see
How important it was to rebuild the walls and had given him timber to do the work
Nehemiah’s belief compelled them to believe in the plan, in their God, and with him did agree
They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.
But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official and Geshem the Arab heard about it,
they mocked and ridiculed us. “What is this you are doing?” they asked. “Are you rebelling against the king?”
Often when we do what is unexpected people rise up say why are you doing this? We need to stand not sit
We need to believe that our God is faithful to do all according to his will, we need to trust in our heavenly king
Nehemiah knew there would be opposition from his enemies and he had not lose focus but stay with it
He had to rebuke them and show that his God was strong, and the people were not rebelling against the king
I answered them by saying, “The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding,
But as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it.”
Nehemiah was assured in what he was doing, nothing could come head on against him in the rebuilding
For his God was with him and could overcome opposition from those who did not want it
He said to his opposition go away you don’t have any claim or historic right to it, it is not your belonging
You don’t have any business trying to have ownership of what is not yours, you can’t have it
That Jerusalem was the city of God, and his people would not be stopped from completing its rebuilding
We too need to believe in what manner of love God has given to us, do not despise your birthright
Mark Maffey, February 2009
(NIV)