Learning to Lead With NehemiahPrimjer

Read Nehemiah 6 : 15 – 19

And so the wall was completed in fifty-two days! The speed at which it was completed belied the challenges Nehemiah went through as he led the people to build. Even at this time, he writes about the treachery from within that threatened the work. The nobles, the same ones he had stopped from exploiting their fellow Jews, were pledged to Tobias. While they were building, the nobles were spying and sending letters back and forth to inform Tobias of what was being done in Israel. 

Tobias’ letters to intimidate Nehemiah left no doubt that Tobias was up to no good. Nehemiah now had to watch his words and actions as he dealt with the enemy within in addition to the enemy without.

One wonders why these people were willing to work against their flesh and blood until Nehemiah explains they have intermarried and now had divided loyalties. Given the fact the nobles had given their daughters in marriage to Tobias and his son, there was an allegiance to them over the people of Israel. We have here a familiar tension between two valid alternatives e.g. faith and family, mercy and justice, quality and quantity.

During all this, the wall was still completed in fifty-two days. Nehemiah acknowledges the help of the Lord was what enabled them to finish the work. It wasn’t his skill, his political acumen, his ability to manage people, or his courage that did this. All these factors helped, but Nehemiah recognized he could not have done this by himself. The people expecting him to fail had every assurance they would stop the work. They understood the difficulty in rebuilding a wall. The city that had been defenseless for over fifty years was suddenly protected in less than two months. How does this make sense? 

Each family committed to build a section of the wall and by breaking the work into manageable chunks, each family  was able to concentrate on doing their part. They had to sift through burned stones to find materials to build the wall. They spent a good portion of the time keeping watch for their enemies.. They were ridiculed! They were threatened! They had no history of success! 

All they had going for them was people willing to build and the recognition the “gracious hand of God” was on them. The help of the Lord did not take away the danger, the huge pile of rubble, the fatigue, or the ridicule. 

I would go so far as to say the opposition they faced was what drove the speed at which the wall was completed. While all that was going on, the help of God gave strength to build so that everyone could see what happens when God’s hand is on a people. Nehemiah did the improbable because he realized the help of the Lord will help you achieve great things!

Word of the Day : Distinction

Ask for God’s help to achieve your goals. God’s help will distinguish you from other leaders. This is your true competitive advantage that will help to separate you from the crowd . God’s help will help you do the impossible!

For more of this study by author Rotimi Iyun, visit http://rotimiiyun.com