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Nehemiah & The Law of Navigation
Nehemiah could see both the problem and solution even though he had never visited Jerusalem. The walls of Jerusalem had lain in ruins for more than 120 years, and with Nehemiah’s leadership, the Jews rebuilt them in only 52 days! How did he accomplish that?
1. He identified with the problem (Nehemiah 1:2-4)
When Nehemiah heard that the wall around Jerusalem remained a rubble and that God’s name was being mocked, he wept. The people’s problem became his problem and his burden to bear.
2. He spent time in prayer (1:4-11)
Nehemiah went immediately to prayer, confessing his wrongdoing and that of the people. Then, he asked for God’s favor. It’s no coincidence that he received the vision and plan to rebuild the wall during this time of connection with God.
How many of us are too busy to pray? When we take time to slow down and listen for God’s direction, He will certainly speak in a way to help us navigate the course for ourselves and our team.
3. He approached the key influencers (2:1-9)
In any leadership endeavor, key stakeholders can make or break the whole undertaking. In this case, it was the Persian King Artaxerxes. From him, Nehemiah received permission, resources, and support to rebuild the wall.
4. He assessed the situation (2:11-15)
When he arrived in Jerusalem, Nehemiah surveyed firsthand the challenge facing him. He did it quietly, at night, personally assessing the damage and planning the project without interference or unwanted advice.
5. He met with the people and cast the vision (2:16-17)
Nehemiah spoke with the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the people who were there to do the work. He described his vision for rebuilding the wall and the spiritual ramifications of the project.
6. He encouraged them with past successes (2:18)
With a task as daunting as rebuilding the wall, Nehemiah knew he needed to encourage the people. So, he “told them of the hand of God which had been good upon [him], and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to [him]”.
7. He received buy-in from the people (2:18)
Two sentences record the turning point for the whole rebuilding process, “So they said, ‘Let us rise up and build.’ Then they set their hands to this good work”. The people had bought in. They dedicated themselves to Nehemiah’s leadership and vision.
8. He organized the people and got them working (2:18)
The people didn’t work haphazardly. Nehemiah organized them by family and set them to work according to planned priorities, beginning with the city’s gates.
Nehemiah put a lot of work into realizing his vision. Without his great leadership and careful planning, the wall may never have been built.
Nehemiah Takes the Lead
Nehemiah was largely successful because he took the initiative. From Nehemiah 2:6-8, we see that he knew how long the project would take; how to get there; what he would need to get the job done; and that God’s hand was upon him.
He displayed the qualities that make for initiative in leaders:
- They know what they want. Desire is the starting point for all achievement.
- They push themselves to act. At first, he acted alone…then engaged others…
- They take more risks.
- They make more mistakes. He wasn’t afraid to mobilize a team who weren’t professionals to build and fight.
- They go with their gut. What Nehemiah lacked in experience, he made up for with the passion of his heart.
Our Human Resources organization has a core value of “Initiative.” We renamed it from “Bias for Action” a few years back to more clearly describe what is core to great HR service. Our descriptor says, “We approach our work with enthusiasm & energy. We are resourceful, enterprising, and have a bias for action. We have a reputation for taking the initiative, developing alternative solutions, & getting things done. If it can be done, we’ll do it.”
Leader, may you take the initiative, as you shoot for the stars!