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We live in a day that is sorely in need of great leaders within every corner of our world – those who do not lead for personal gain, fame or recognition, but rather, those who would lead to bring about the changes needed for the benefit of all. But sadly, instead of selflessness, we more often are led by those who are pursuing their own personal agenda. Instead of humility, we are subjected to hubris and narcissism. Instead of the courage to do what is right, we are ruled by those who would rather pursue a path that is more politically expedient.

Within our history as a nation we have benefited from the leadership of men and women of that caliber – leaders such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., Clara Barton and Rosa Parks to name a few. On a global level one would have to include leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Winston Churchill, Mother Theresa and Nelson Mandela. As we look through Scripture, we see further examples of men and women that would need to be a part of that list, leaders such as Moses, Joshua, Esther and Paul. i do not intend for this to be a fully comprehensive list but rather a representative sample. And, of course, one would have to include at the very top of that list Jesus as the greatest leader of all time – the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

But there is another individual in Scripture whose name deserves to be included in that list – a cupbearer by the name of Nehemiah. i believe he exemplifies the character and characteristics of a true leader in a way to which each one of us would do well to aspire.

When Nehemiah received word of the great trouble his people were facing, he wept and grieved to his very core.(1) He cried out to God and interceded on behalf of a people, most of whom he did not know, and on behalf of a place, on which he had not yet set his eyes. He asked God to enable him to be a part of the solution, not for his name’s sake but for the sake of those he had yet to meet.(2)

Given the opportunity to speak up for those in need, he did not use it to rail against the oppressors but rather, to cast a vision for the solution in humility, and in a way that honored the one in authority over him.(3)He took time to sufficiently assess the problem before pressing forward ill-equipped and ill-prepared.(4) He formulated an appropriate solution that required everyone’s participation, not just their acquiescence. Throughout it all, he trusted that the One who had invited him to join with Him in solving the problem would continue to go before him to complete the work. He knew that true success could only result from following the Almighty’s plan.(5)

He also knew that even the right plan would not be exempt from attack by the opposition. He knew to respond to the naysayers with wisdom and not allow their opposition to distract him from the main thing.(6) But he also knew that the needs of the people could not be overlooked in the midst of the work. He challenged the accepted practices that had been used to oppress the poor, and championed the needs of the underprivileged, even at his own personal expense.(7) And he knew that true success could only be achieved at personal cost. He valued the welfare of all the people over his own personal gain and privilege.(8)

And he oversaw the work all the way to completion, not only in a way that saw a wall rebuilt, but also so that the heart of the city was restored.(9) Thus a slave who God had enabled to become a cupbearer, now became more than a king’s emissary. He became a leader who rose to the level of being an example of true leadership to all of us.

A number of years ago, i had the privilege to be a part of a group of men and women in an extensive remodeling project that was named “The Nehemiah Project.” No one individual within the leadership of that project ever rose to the level of exemplifying Nehemiah. However i did see God work through the entire team of people in a way that the characteristics i have already cited were seen through the group collectively. Though the scope of the project was nothing of the magnitude of rebuilding the walls of a city or restoring its heart, the project in which we were involved still became an opportunity to see God do the miraculous in a way that had His fingerprints all over it.

When everything was complete, there were two outcomes that He used to confirm His hand at work. First, when the work was finished, we realized it had been completed in fifty-two days, the same number in which the wall in Jerusalem was rebuilt. Second, there was no one individual that could take the credit for the excellent work that had been done – rather, it all pointed to the glory of God.

Today, we need leadership like that of Nehemiah on every level – globally, nationally, regionally and personally. It’s not the size of the problem or the need that dictates the kind of leadership that is required, it’s the degree of concern. If we truly desire to see God’s best accomplished in and through each and every situation, we will cry out to Him to accomplish His best in His way for His glory. In the process, He will raise up the Nehemiah that is needed at every level and for every situation. It will be the ones who, perhaps as the apostle Paul reminds us, are the least expected – the ordinary men and women – who God works through to accomplish the extraordinary.(10) And it could just be you!

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It is my belief that throughout history God has used ordinary people to be used by Him in extraordinary ways that prompted me to write a series of books entitled The Called series. The tenth book in that series, which looks at the life of Nehemiah releases this Friday, June 16th. The books are available as ebooks, in print and as audiobooks. You can find more information about all the books in the series here on my website.

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(1) Nehemiah 1:1-4

(2) Nehemiah 1:5-11

(3) Nehemiah 2:1-8

(7) Nehemiah 5:1-13

(10) 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

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