This article about Nehemiah, is one of a series of articles built around the theme, “What would they say to us now?” From the perspective of eternity and a completed life, what would they say is really important to us today?
What’s the biggest problem you ever faced? How did you handle it? What was your attitude and what was the outcome?
I’ve faced my share of problems. I have directed three major church building programs, one of them involving $24 million. We faced many major challenges including financing, construction, sale of property and most significantly, getting the congregation’s unified support. I have been called to lead congregations that had been previously divided. Problems existed which had baffled previous leadership and as I learned the details, I was baffled too.
Some people cringe in the face of their problems. Others courageously face them and overcome them. How should we stand up to the challenges we will inevitably face?
NEHEMIAH
Perhaps no biblical character demonstrates the principles of leadership as well as Nehemiah. Nehemiah shows us how to manage our resources, how to integrate our goals into what others are doing, how to motivate people and how to measure results. Nehemiah shows us how to handle opposition and how to deal with his religious convictions in a secular society.
Nehemiah is a man who faced a big problem and who solved it with God’s help. The problem was that the walls of Jerusalem were in ruins and the people were disorganized and felt helpless. The situation was complicated by the facts that their leader was removed from the situation geographically, they had no materials, there was no desire to do anything about the situation and there was significant opposition to what God’s people needed to do.
If Nehemiah could sum up his life-message in one sentence, it would be this: Big problems can be solved. What would he say to us?
1. UNDERSTAND THE BIG PICTURE
Too often we offer solutions before we understand the problem. We tend to give answers before we know the real questions. That was not the way Nehemiah operated. First, he got perspective.
i. Listen
… one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 1:2).
When you face a big problem, open your eyes and ears. Ask open-ended questions. Don’t isolate yourself. Get the pulse of the people who are also facing the problem. You need the input of others to grasp the implications of the situation. Listen to others, even those who may disagree with you.
ii. Feel what others feel
They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. (Nehemiah 1:3-4).
A 5-year-old girl was told to be home for supper at 5:30 but she didn’t get home till after 6. Her mother was upset with her and asked her where she had been. The young girl said, my friend Cathy’s doll was ripped and torn and I had to stay with her to help her cry! That’s empathy.
Nehemiah felt for Jerusalem and was heart-broken. Too often leaders appear insensitive to the feelings of the people they are attempting to lead. They come across as more interested in their own agenda than the feelings of the people they are leading.
iii. Seek God
Then I said: O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying… (Nehemiah 1:5-6).
Prayer should be our first approach to a problem. Prayer is not a substitute for action but the way to receive God’s favor and perspective. Nehemiah prayed before he did or said anything about the problem. Nehemiah was alone in a foreign country. He had no spiritual support system. He turned to God who was always with him.
Nehemiah prayed with worship and adoration. He addressed his prayer to the great and awesome God. He said, we delight in revering your name. There was confession. He said, I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed.
Nehemiah gave his specific request: give your servant success.
Daniel prayed for four months before he got his answer, but he persevered in prayer until the answer came.
In prayer, God becomes greater in your thinking and your problem seems smaller. Seemingly insurmountable problems become manageable through prayer. Prayer does change things; more importantly, prayer changes us.
iv. Find people who can help you.
In the month of Nisan in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king. I had not been sad in his presence before; so the king asked me, “Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart.” I was very much afraid, but I said to the king, “May the king live forever! Why should my face not look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?” (Nehemiah 2:1-3).
Nehemiah tactfully went to the king and told him the situation. There is usually someone who can help you. Help may come from the Christian community; it may come from someone you wouldn’t expect. You are not as alone as you think you are. Ask God to bring you into contact with people who can help you.
v. Look beyond the symptoms to the real cause
Often we need to look beyond appearances to see what is actually motivating people to act and react as they do. For Nehemiah, the problem was not the broken wall; the people were the problem. The people were indifferent to the situation. They didn’t care. People were mortgaging their houses to pay their taxes. The people had neither the initiative nor the courage to do anything.
2. CAST VISION
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.” 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 2:17-18).
Someone has to stand up and say, “Things aren’t right. Things have to change. There is a better way.” Respond to the need regardless of the circumstances. Someone has to point the way. Leadership is giving people a vision and inspiring them to follow you.
How do you cast vision?
i. Explain the situation.
The walls had been burned and were in ruins. Nehemiah said, You see the trouble we are in. (Nehemiah 2:17).
Nehemiah said, “We’ve got a problem!”
ii. Establish the vision
Nehemiah said, Come, let us build the wall. He said it’s time to get rid of the disgrace.
Let people know what needs to be done and how they can participate.
iii. Encourage the people
Don’t just tell people the problem and what they have to do, encourage them. Nehemiah said, The gracious hand of God is upon me, and, The God of heaven will give us success. (Nehemiah 2:18, 20).
Nehemiah said, “We can do it and God will help us!”
iv. Expect a response
When Nehemiah cast the vision, the people bought into the vision and responded, Let’s build. (Nehemiah 1:18).
People will rise to a challenge because they want meaning in their lives. People want significance. They want to be part of something that matters. All it took was a leader to present the vision with clarity and conviction.
3. ORGANIZE THE PEOPLE
People may want to be a part of the vision, but may not know how to go about it. Without organization, the people are just a mob. There is confusion. There is no way to work together. Without organization there is emotion but the energy is not focused on constructive activity.
From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah. (Nehemiah 4:16).
At times you may be able to act alone, but you can always accomplish more together with others. But if others are going to help you, they must be organized to work together. The more people that are involved, the more essential the organization that is needed. Organization is not unspiritual.
Nehemiah organized the people so that half the people worked while half the people were equipped for defense.
4. COURAGEOUSLY FACE OPPOSITION
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?” (Nehemiah 2:19).
When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews. (Nehemiah 4:1).
Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building–if even a fox climbed up on it, he would break down their wall of stones!” (Nehemiah 4:3).
i. Recognize opposition and ridicule
Rarely do all our people respond to our vision. Usually there are those who are slow to accept the vision or slow to understand the vision, or who clearly are opposed to the vision. Some people just don’t get it. Nehemiah faced verbal abuse, lies and enemy infiltration, particularly from people who were threatened by the vision.
Change is difficult for most people. Wise leaders give them time to internalize and own the new vision.
ii. Pray
Prayer permeated everything Nehemiah did. But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat. (Nehemiah 4:9). Prayer was not a substitute for action. They prayed and posted a guard.
iii. Build community
From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah. (Nehemiah 4:16).
When people accept the vision, it is important that they do so as a community, not just as individuals.
iv. Encourage people
Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us! (Nehemiah 4:20).
No matter the problem you face and regardless of the circumstances, discouragement is always near. People are prone to give in to fear and frustration. It is impossible overstate the importance of encouragement.
5. EXPERIENCE VICTORY
The task of rebuilding the wall was done in 52 days. It didn’t take long when leadership went about things the right way. The enemies faded away. The wall went up. The city was restored.
While Nehemiah’s leadership was critical throughout the process, Nehemiah made it clear that it happened as a result of the “help of God.”
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