The Character of Nehemiah, His Leadership Equity - Part 5
/“So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.” Nehemiah 6: 15
Nehemiah was broken-hearted once learning of the Jerusalem wall destruction. But after time with God, he chose a path of moving forward. He decided to let his sadness drive him, not stop him. The trustworthy and honest servant was grounded in the authority of God and therefore saw this as an opportunity to use his talents. He chose to dream and act towards such. He was going to rebuild the wall. But, not by himself.
Like a scene from the Extreme Home Makeover television program (a television program showing the story of a new modern home built in one short week), there was a ton of help. Nehemiah garnered much support as he directed the work to continue around the clock. Many individuals and groups worked on different sections of the wall.
Eliashib, a high priest who brought his fellow high priest with him, started working. The sons of Hassennaah worked on one section while men of Tekoa repaired two different sections. Men from Gibeon and Mizpah worked alongside Hanun and his fellow residents of Zanoah. And it wasn't just men, Shallum repaired a portion with the help of his daughters.
Nehemiah believed in his people and they, in turn, believed in Nehemiah. In a successful group, believing in others goes hand in hand, but it always starts with the leader. A great leader sets the tone. They can set differences aside and offer, develop, and promote those that work under him or her. Whether in the context of employment, a small study group, or a group project at school, the ability to work with others and raise them up is a great skill.
Nehemiah set them up for success through his actions which stemmed from his unwavering faith and resolve that the project would be completed regardless of the obstacles that showed. The workers, the team, responded with rebuilding the wall in astonishing record time.
If you're in a leadership position, believe in the followers. If you're a follower, believe in your leader. Don't let politics, problems, or poor-minded people sway you from this.
Aside from Nehemiah, there are countless biblical accounts of people believing in people. Can you think of some? Mostly, it is God that believes in us. It is God that has enough concern for us that the Son was sent as a sacrifice. God believes in me and God believes in you.
In recent Nehemiah blogs, we have discussed his great character and leadership. He was trustworthy, honest, overcame obstacles, and valued the opportunity set before him. These aren't just characteristics for Nehemiah, or the people then. They are for us today. They are useful at work, church, school, or another context.
A recent Gallup study of more than 2 million teams found 5 main characteristics of a great leader. We see each of these in Nehemiah, and perhaps even more. The five characteristics resulting from the study were:
1. Motivate with a compelling mission and vision.
2. Assert yourself to overcome adversity and resistance.
3. Foster a culture of clear accountability.
4. Build relationships that create trust and transparency.
5. Make decisions based on productivity, not politics.
Nehemiah matched with these and more.
There is more to learn from this great man. We encourage you to read and study the book of Nehemiah to discover more about his character, his leadership, and his life. But from this short study, we see that Nehemiah was reliable under challenging times. He was responsible and trusted in a world of mistrust. And whether the king or God, Nehemiah approached authority with humility and reverence. The Nehemiah we see was defined by a remarkably diligent work ethic despite surmounting difficulties and mayhem. He believed in others and was passionate about his cause and all of this to God's glory.
