Page 52 - Principles of Leadership - Nehemiah

shred of moral principle should be profoundly angry.” 164 Paul even said in Ephesians 4:26 In your anger do not
sin. Nehemiah realized that what the nobles and officials were doing directly violated God’s commandments
found in Exodus 22:25 and Leviticus 25:35-37, 39-41. Therefore, these scriptures point out that this blatant
violation of the scriptures caused Nehemiah to become extremely angry. It does not cover up the fact that
Nehemiah was extremely angry. Nehemiah readily admits it. However, he would not respond in anger to this
total disregard for the scriptures. The text deliberately creates a pause to consider how he should seriously
respond to this new crisis. Please pay close attention to how this crisis leader responded; he first gave thought
to the matter. He did not react, but he acted. Some expositors call Nehemiah a fiery, volatile man, and that he
responded in anger. However, I believe that he backed off for some time and thought about how he was going
to respond. “Some of our own conflicts are never resolved because we don’t back off and take time to think.
Instead, we rush in, armed with clever ways of excusing our anger. Then we are quick to exclaim, “You made
me act like that. You know where my hot button is, and you enjoy pushing it. “Too often we avoid personal
responsibility by implying someone else is to blame for our own outburst.” 165 Nehemiah realized he was the
one who was in control of his own actions, and what he did next was intentional.

After backing off and listening to the Spirit of God, he decides to act. He begins by accusing the nobles and
officials, and he says to them, “Each of you is charging his countrymen interest.” So, I called a large assembly
against them. This was such a serious matter that he shut down the project for the first time in this building
project and called a large assembly against them. He evidently was somewhat aware of the problem because
he stated what he had already been trying to do. “We have done our best to buy back our Jewish countrymen
who were sold to foreigners, but now you sell your own countrymen, and we have to buy them back.” They
remained silent and could not say a word. 9 Then I said, “What you are doing isn’t right. Shouldn’t you walk
in fear of our God ⌊and not invite⌋ the reproach of our foreign enemies? What you are doing by putting money
over people is bringing reproach upon our God. Shouldn’t you walk in fear of our God ⌊and not invite⌋ this
reproach upon the name of God? I, as well as my brothers and my servants, have been lending them money
and grain. Please, let us stop charging this interest. 11 Return their fields, vineyards, olive groves, and houses
to them immediately, along with the percentage of the money, grain, new wine, and olive oil that you have
been assessing them.” Now is the crucial point. They have been confronted with their greed, but how will they
respond? Notice the sense of urgency in the words Nehemiah chooses to use. Return their fields, vineyards,
olive groves, and houses to them immediately… Nehemiah seems to be appealing to the unity of the
community as part of his overall strategy. Notice he appeals to our Jewish countrymen, and again he says your
own countrymen. The wall is being built because of the community, and this problem will only be resolved if
we can come together as a community. He is saying do the right thing, right now! What are you waiting for? 12
They responded: “We will return ⌊these things⌋ and require nothing more from them. We will do as you say.”
The word fell upon open and receptive ears. Listen to the sweetness of repentance…
• We will return ⌊these things⌋
• We will require nothing more
• We will do as you say

However, Nehemiah realized how easy it is to slip back into old paths. Therefore, he summoned the priests and
made everyone take an oath to do this. He asked them to publicly take an oath that they would do as they said
they would. He also shook the folds of my robe and said, “May God likewise shake from his house and
property everyone who doesn’t keep this promise. May he be shaken out and have nothing!” This was an
imprecatory curse that Nehemiah enacted. The whole assembly said, “Amen,” and they praised the LORD.
Then the people did as they had promised.

What we have seen in this chapter is servant leadership in action. It is said, “If you lead as a servant, you’ll know
it because you will be surrounded by high trust relationships and a high trust team.” 166 What I am about to say
is remarkably similar to the Ceilings of Self-Interest that I wrote about above. These people would have never
brought their problems to Nehemiah had there not been a degree of trust. Nehemiah had to serve the people
first, and after that, they were willing to trust their problems with him. “Trust and servant leadership are built
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