Jesus Style Leadership 4 - Sent & TeamSample

Standing with Your Team

Leadership Lesson

Jesus-style leaders stand with their team when things are tough.

Read Nehemiah 1:1-6

Comment

For our final five devotions, we will check out Nehemiah’s team as they rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem. You can see that Nehemiah was a great team leader right from the start. When he found out that Jerusalem was in a mess and that the Jews who had returned to Judah were in “great trouble and disgrace,” he was overwhelmed. Now Jerusalem was not really Nehemiah’s problem. He was doing very well. He was a trusted, important official in the Persian court. He was well-connected and well-liked. God was using him and blessing him for his faithfulness. On the other hand, the Jews in Jerusalem were still not doing what God wanted and were suffering the consequences. But in Nehemiah’s prayer for Judah, he identifies with the Jews in Jerusalem. He feels their pain and sees his sin as part of the problem (1:6). He doesn’t picture himself as the great saviour but shares the troubles and struggles of his future team. He stands with his people. Jesus-style team leaders share the highs and lows of their team. They regard the team's pain and successes as more important than their own. They take responsibility. They share the problems. They don’t shift the blame to others.

Prayer

I know that ultimately this is your work Lord and I have only been included because of your grace. But you still call me to take responsibility and stand firm with my team when things are not going well. It’s a painful call sometimes, especially when the problems have not been my fault, but I want my team to know that I will support them whatever happens. Please give me the strength I need.

Personal Reflection

What is more important to you – your personal pain and successes or the pain and successes of your team? Be honest. Write down a challenge that your team or someone on your team is facing at the moment and pray for them like Nehemiah.