Leader’s Lead
A pastor friend of mine, one who has been a mentor to me in my own ministry, has told me that “leader’s lead.” The phrase sounds simple and maybe common sense, but the concept truly is profound. We have many “leaders” in our world today, but not all leaders lead. A difference exists between someone who leads by position and someone who leads by conviction. It is easy to lead by position. Someone who has a position of authority is by default a leader, but just because one makes decisions does not automatically make them a good leader. Anyone can take a position as “the boss” and tell others what must be done, but this does not make one a leader. A true leader is one who leads by conviction. These individuals do not simply lead because they are in a position of leadership though they may be. They lead because they are convinced that they must do so, and they lead in a clear-cut direction for others to follow.
As I look at the story of Nehemiah, Nehemiah did not really have any formal position to speak of. He was not a patriarch or leader of the twelve tribes. He was an everyday average Israelite, but he had a conviction, and he led according to that conviction. In this sense, we could all him a true leader. How do we know this about Nehemiah? Because as my friend said, “leaders lead,” and we see Nehemiah stepping up and leading according to the convictions he possessed!
Nehemiah’s Leadership
As we pick up the story of Nehemiah in chapter two, we find the “make or break” point for Nehemiah, and the “make or break” point for all leaders—going public. Up until this point Nehemiah’s conviction had been internal. He believed he needed to lead an effort to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and protect the remnant that was there, but best we can tell he had not told a single individual! In the life of every great leader there comes a time when his or her plan needs to go public. If he or she is to lead according to conviction and others are expected to follow, true leaders need to make their convictions and related plans a public matter. This is hard; this takes grit. Going public means putting oneself “out there” in front of people to see if the ideas are accepted or if the leader will succeed with his or her vision. This stage in leadership can be crippling for leaders and has kept many would be leaders from actually leading due to fear of rejection and failure. But Nehemiah was not one of the “would be leaders” who created a plan but failed to execute, he possessed the grit and determination to see his vision through to the end! For Nehemiah, this would mean he would have to go before the king.
We read a subtle reference to what Nehemiah had to do in the end of chapter 1. As he finished his prayer, he asked God “make your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man.” The man Nehemiah referred to of course was the king. In order for Nehemiah to begin his endeavor to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem he needed to get the permission of the sovereign of the land. This might not seem that big of a deal to us today, but I am certain it was a significant undertaking for Nehemiah. Remember, Nehemiah was in exile. He was taken from his home country to be put in forced servitude to the king of Persia, and now he was asking to go back. This was no lite request! We read in chapter two that Nehemiah had hidden from the king his sorrow over the remnant of God’s people, but on this occasion the king notice Nehemiah’s sadness and inquired. Nehemiah unfolded the story to the king and requested a “leave of absence” to be able to go help the remnant in Jerusalem. I find it significant how chapter 2 records the specific nature of Nehemiah’s request. The king asked how long Nehemiah would be gone, and the text says Nehemiah “gave him a definite time.” The text also relays how Nehemiah requested safe passage through the lands and lumber from the king’s forest. Nehemiah went into this meeting with a specific plan in mind and as he went public with his plan, God blessed his efforts and allowed the king to grant Nehemiah’s request.
Final Thoughts
We can learn a lot from this excerpt from the life of Nehemiah. The greatest lesson I think we learn is what I have already mentioned: leader’s lead. Nehemiah felt a conviction regarding the situation in Jerusalem and this led him to make a plan and take it public, regardless of the ramifications. He knew what God wanted him to do and he was committed to doing that, even if it meant a bold request before the King. Churches today need the same type of leaders as Nehemiah. Men and women of conviction who do not simple lead because they may have been given a position of leadership, but who lead because they know what God wants them to do and they are willing to take their plan public as they follow God’s direction in their lives. Let us be the type of leaders who truly lead, not just fill a role or position, but who live life by conviction from God’s Word and communion with Him and who openly step up and step out to do what He desires!
