Leaders See Deeper Meanings

Nehemiah Saw More Than Walls

Look at the challenges you must lead people to overcome. Do not assume they see the problem in the same light as you. Is there deep,  emotional reason for them to achieve victory? Is there hope that they can accomplish it? Have you given the solution and thrown down a challenge to them?

Nehemiah was a great leader. He led the Jews to rebuild their city walls after they were destroyed by the Babylonians. The walls sat broken and charred for more than 70 years. He rallied the people of God and rebuilt them quickly and efficiently.

Nehemiah is a good example of leading people to accomplish a goal. It took such a man to get the people going in the right direction. People lived day after day in Jerusalem. As they walked outside to go to work they could easily see the rubble lying in the sun. The charred remains must have been a constant reminder that they were a defeated nation.

It took Nehemiah one visit to Jerusalem to make a difference. It is amazing how he accomplished it. He saw the walls for what they were and called the people to action to remedy the situation.

Nehemiah 2:17 states, "I said to them, 'You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.'"

After such a speech the people rallied behind him and rebuilt the walls. Sound a little too simplistic? It is possible that Nehemiah had a long speech and this is the cliff notes. It is also possible that these two sentences is all it took. Many of the greatest speeches in history were short.

Winston Churchill rallied a nation to hold their borders against a relentless German attack with five words. He walked to the podium and said with great style and enthusiasm, "Never, never, never give up."

Jesus taught one of the greatest lessons in the history of civilization. Reading it today takes about 10 minutes.

So Nehemiah rallied people with a couple of sentences. Here's how that happened.

1. He saw the walls for what they were. The people saw rubble and charred stone. He saw reproach.

2. He did not ask them to rebuild the walls. He asked them to restore their dignity by getting rid of the reproach.

3. He asked them to work with him, not for him.

See like a leader, not like a follower. Then share that vision with others.