Following the Leader

Read Nehemiah 11:1–13:31

15. In those days I saw men of Judah treading out their winepresses on the Sabbath. They were also bringing in grain, loading it on donkeys, and bringing their wine, grapes, figs, and all sorts of produce to Jerusalem to sell on the Sabbath. So I rebuked them for selling their produce on that day.
16. Some men from Tyre, who lived in Jerusalem, were bringing in fish and all kinds of merchandise. They were selling it on the Sabbath to the people of Judah—and in Jerusalem at that!
17. So I confronted the nobles of Judah. “Why are you profaning the Sabbath in this evil way?” I asked.
18. “Wasn’t it just this sort of thing that your ancestors did that caused our God to bring all this trouble upon us and our city? Now you are bringing even more wrath upon Israel by permitting the Sabbath to be desecrated in this way!” Nehemiah 13:15-18

The word leadership usually evokes thoughts of people with titles and positions. But every person takes up the challenge of leadership from time to time. Have you ever led a group of kids in an activity? a group of adults in singing? a family devotion time? an out-of-town friend through the city? a child through the steps of learning a skill?

Although Nehemiah is a leader by title and position, he is also a leader by example. Nehemiah leads the Israelites in rebuilding the city walls and establishes policies for residents of the city. But he also helps renew the covenant and keeps the Israelites on track with God. Clearly, that is what good leaders should do.

Other lessons in this reading include appropriate kinds of separation; keeping the Sabbath; and dealing with weaknesses.

Nehemiah’s life story provides many principles of effective leadership that are still valid today: (1) Have a clear purpose and keep evaluating it in light of God’s will. (2) Be straightforward and honest. (3) Live above reproach. (4) Be a person of constant prayer, deriving power and wisdom from your contact with God.

We may think of leadership as glamorous, but it can often be lonely, thankless, and filled with pressures to compromise values and standards. Nehemiah was able to accomplish a huge task against incredible odds because he learned that there is no success without risk of failure, no reward without hard work, no opportunity without criticism, and no true leadership without trust in God. The book of Nehemiah is about rebuilding the wall of a great city, but it is also about spiritual renewal, rebuilding a people’s dependence on God.

Whatever your leadership position or role, don’t lose sight of doing what is most important—being a spiritual leader. Keep your focus on being God’s person and doing what he wants.