The Honest Leader

The Honest Leader

Nehemiah recognized his need for God. He confessed not only the sins
of his people, but also his own sins. He came before God very humbly.

The Honest Leader

"Please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father's house and I have sinned."

(Nehemiah 1:6)

This week, I will continue to write on the topic of leadership and lessons we can glean from the Old Testament book of Nehemiah. The book is named after a man whose soul craved for God, who was passionate for his homeland of Jerusalem, and whom God greatly prospered. There will always be a need for godly men and women whom God raises up to accomplish great feats for His glory. While there are those who have a natural proclivity for leadership, I believe all of us can become great leaders if we ask God for the ability and commit ourselves to becoming the best leader we can.

Leadership expert, Dr. John Maxwell, has a famous leadership adage that goes like this: "Everything rises and falls on leadership." We really cannot overestimate the importance of godly leadership. All of us are called upon to lead in some capacity, whether that is leading our own lives in making good decisions or leading our families, companies, churches, businesses, sports teams, etc. Leadership is not easy, that's for sure! As one of my college buddies told me one time, "When you lead, you bleed."

Like I did last week, I want to share some insights with you from the life of Nehemiah that I believe will help you in becoming the leader that God has called you to be. Learning from great leaders is a wise discipline, and Nehemiah was one of the greatest leaders in the history of mankind. After all, he has an entire book in the Bible named after him! Nehemiah, whose name means "Yahweh comforts", worked for King Artaxerxes, the king of the Medes and Persians from 464-444 BC. Nehemiah was in the city of Shushan or Susa, the fortified winter palace of Persia. The reason he was there was to do the very prestigious job of the king's cupbearer: to taste all the king's food and drink to make sure it was safe for the king. Nehemiah was a layman, not a priest or prophet. If the wine or food were poisoned, no more cupbearer, but long live the king! Despite the risks, this was an influential and prestigious occupation.

In Nehemiah 1:6, we read how this future leader recognizes his need for God. He confesses not only the sins of his people, but also his own sins. He comes before God very humbly asking God to hear and see the prayers he gives both day and night. "Please let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, that You may hear the prayer of Your servant which I pray before You now, day and night, for the children of Israel Your servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel which we have sinned against You. Both my father's house and I have sinned." One writer comments on verse 6 by stating, "Even though he was a leader, Nehemiah emphasized his identification with the people and with their sins. Leaders must not consider themselves superior to others; admission of fault will not ruin effectiveness." (Breneman, M. (1993). Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (electronic ed., Vol. 10, p. 172). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

Nehemiah knew that there was a great task ahead and he needed God's help. He also knew he needed to confess his sins to God and be right with the LORD before he undertook so prodigious a task.

How about you? What great task has God assigned you which you must be spiritually prepared to accomplish? Do as this honest leader did: confess your sins to God and commit yourself afresh to the Lord today.
 

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Podcast of the Week

 
What's After? Pt. 1

Pastor Danny begins a new series, delving into what happens to us after we die. This series will explore what the Bible has to say about death, heaven, and hell, as well as the recorded experiences of people who have lived through near death experiences (NDEs).
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Matthew Hall