The Character of a Leader- Nehemiah 2

 

This is Chuck Rapp with Multiply, a podcast to provide a word of encouragement for village church planters.

In my most recent podcast, I began a series on some of the leadership qualities of Nehemiah, the Old Testament leader who led the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem.  

We resume the story in chapter 2, verse 5, continuing through verse 8.    

“and I answered the king, “If it pleases the king and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city where my fathers are buried so that I can rebuild it.”  …  “if it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe conduct until I arrive in Judah?  AND [emphasis added] may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king’s forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?”  And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.”  

I observe several important leadership qualities in these verses.  

• Nehemiah was bold!  Realizing what the Lord had called him to do, he made not one, not two, but three very large requests of the king.  As leaders, having listened to and received the marching orders of our King, we need to have faith to ask Him boldly for everything needed for the task.  1 Thessalonians 5:24 promises us that “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.”

• Secondly, Nehemiah was planful. Notice how he had thought through his series of requests.  

o He asks for time off from his responsibilities as cupbearer to the king

o He asks to go to Jerusalem.

o He asks for letters of safe passage.  The distance from Susa to Jerusalem was 1365 kilometers; this was not a short trek. 

o He asks for the provision of timber for building the temple, the city walls and his home. 

Nehemiah knew the details of what was needed, and he had a plan.  We need a similar approach in our leadership.  Jesus illustrated this is the parable about counting the cost.  “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’  (Luke 14:28-30)

• Finally, Nehemiah was grateful to the Lord. “And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests.”  As leaders, our success comes from the Lord, and we must be diligent and intentional to give Him the glory. 

 

This has been a word of encouragement for Village Church Planters.