The Character of a Leader-Nehemiah 7

 

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

Today we conclude our series on the leadership qualities of Nehemiah, the Old Testament overseer who led the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. Chapters 7 -13 illustrate a few more characteristics of this good and godly leader.   

As we begin chapter 7, we learn that the walls have now been rebuilt.  Verse 5 tells us, “So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families.”  The remainder of the chapter provides the details; what impresses me is that Nehemiah was obedient to what the Lord placed in his heart.  Good leaders not only discern what the Holy Spirit is speaking to them, they follow through in obedience.  

Chapter 7 contains a long list of names and numbers … inventories of people, animals, and valuable items.  Nehemiah was attentive to details.  As leaders, we, too, must be aware of the details.  My experience is that the difficult part is to know which details matter most. We can’t know everything about everything; we need wisdom to discern the most important things … that which matters most.  

Chapters 8 and 9 tell how Nehemiah and Ezra, the scribe, led the people in the reading of the Law of God and in confession and repentance.  “They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers. They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshipping the Lord their God.”  (9:2b-3)  

There are times when good and godly leaders must say challenging and difficult things to those who follow them.  Godly leaders set the example and lead the way in repentance and restoration with God.  Chapter 9 ends with the people putting in writing a binding agreement with their God.  Chapter 10, verse 1 lists the first person who signed this agreement.  “Nehemiah, the governor …”  He led the way in repentance, restoration and commitment to the Lord.  May we do the same.  

In chapter 13, I see one final vital characteristic of good leaders.  Nehemiah delegated responsibility and authority.  He did not attempt to do it all.  “I put Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and a Levite named Pedaiah in charge of the storerooms and made Hanan son of Zakkur, the son of Mattaniah, their assistant, because they were considered trustworthy. They were made responsible for distributing the supplies to their fellow Levites.” (13:13)   Delegating responsibility helps prepare others for leadership and relieves some of the load off the leader.  

We have so much to learn from Nehemiah.  May we follow his example.  

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