Recently I read through a study on the idea of leadership as seen in the book of Nehemiah. More specifically, I read some thoughts that have been authored by Captains Peter and Alison Lublink, Salvation Army Officers (Pastors) at the High Point church in Victoria, BC (that’s Canada, eh). Back in 2007, they wrote a great study called “On Leadership” ([Download Now]), one for prospective leaders in the church and another for those already in leadership roles. The prospective study is based on 1 and 2 Timothy, and the other for current folks is based on, you guessed it, Nehemiah.
(Just a quick shameless plug for the Lublinks. I’ve never met them, but what I do know is that Peter is a communication freak. He loves it. So, head on over to their Corps’ (Church’s) website (http://www.pointful.ca/) and take a gander for yourself. Also, all you in the Central Territory will be glad to know that they are the special guests for the Young Adult Track at CBLI this year. Bonus!)
The first session from their study starts with a few comments on the idea of leadership itself:
“At its very core, leadership involves influencing people to accomplish a specific task set forth by the leader. Understanding effective Biblical leadership however, involves not only influencing people towards a set objective, but involves the ability to discern the need which surrounds us and to which God calls us to act upon. In chapter 1, and throughout the book of Nehemiah, we see evidence that Nehemiah not only leads with authority, but he is perceptive to the need which surrounds him, and to the action that God calls him to as a result.”[i]
With that in mind, let’s move to the text of Nehemiah chapter 1, verses 1-11:
“1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah: In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, 2 Hanani, 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.
3 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.”
4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. 5 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, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s house, have committed against you. 7 We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
8 “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, 9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
10 “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. 11 O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.” I was cupbearer to the king.”
As was said at the beginning, Biblical leadership is based on the ability to discern the needs which surround us and responding in the way that God wants. In verse 3, after asking Hanani and a few other men about those who had recently returned from the Babylonian exile, Nehemiah is told that “the wall of Jerusalem” had been torn down. This wall is reference to the events of Ezra 4:1-23. In short, once the Jews had returned to the province of Judah they renewed themselves to God and started to rebuild the temple. A group of people, described as “the enemies of Judah and Benjamin,” offered to help in this task. But, Israel didn’t take it, and to spite them, “the enemies of Judah and Benjamin” set out to stop their building (see Ezra 4:23).
This, scholars say, is the reason for Nehemiah’s reaction; which is really the focal point of this chapter. Because when he saw suffering, he responded in the right way. He was eventually lead to “mourn, fast and pray.” It’s interesting, though, that the text makes it clear that he did one very important thing before that. He wept. He cried. He let the suffering affect him.
It’s easy to become calloused, and even easier to disregard the hurt and pain we see all around us. But choosing to feel is the first step in responding to suffering in a Biblical way. Sometimes we shy away from these emotions, but it’s actually the stepping stone to proper practice. So, if you want to be a leader, you have to care, and you have to let the suffering of others move you.
It’s no mistake that half of Nehemiah 1 is Nehemiah’s prayer to God. It’s a model of how we might pray if we chose to act the way God would want. There are three distinct movements in this short prayer that can teach us how to pray:
First and foremost, Nehemiah remembers and reflects on God’s character. This may be nothing but fluffy language to most, but it’s very crucial to remember who exactly it is we’re talking to when we pray. Because when we do, we begin to remember all the things God is capable of. We being to realize all of the things that God can do, and all of the things we cannot do, and thus the reason we need Him in the first place. On top of that, we remember just who he is, the “stuff” God is made of. I mean, it’s interesting that in a prayer in which Nehemiah confesses sin and pleads for Israel he starts by saying, “O, Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps his covenant of unfailing love with those who love him and obey his commands…” In remembering God’s unfailing love, he allows himself to pray with confidence, knowing that God is for him and not against him.
Secondly, he confesses Israel’s sin, his family’s sin, and his own sin. He owns up. He becomes open and honest with God. And that’s the thing about being in the presence of a holy, perfect God. God reveals his perfection (as 1 John 1:5 says, “God is light, in him there is no darkness at all), which in turn reveals our sinfulness. And being a leader doesn’t mean being perfect. Far from it! True leaders fully recognize, admit and even boast in their weaknesses (check out 2 Corinthians 11:30, 12:5, and 12:9). Good leaders don’t cover up their brokenness. They confess it and allow God to work through them and trust Him for healing.
And third, Nehemiah pleads with God. This is point of all the weeping, of all the feeling, and all the mourning. Nehemiah was wrecked by the plight of his countrymen for the preliminary purpose of asking God to intervene (we’ll see that his response consists of other things as well).
In those days he was a cup-bearer, and a good one at that.
[i] “On Leadership” The Salvation Army, December 2007.