Page 61 - Principles of Leadership - Nehemiah

is filled with cursing and nudity is considered artistic, and a homosexual couple who want to adopt a child is
considered a good family unit. Isaiah 50:20 says, woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put
darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! According to God,
these people are enemies of the gospel. Please remember God, at times, does not shy away from using harsh
terms because he loves righteousness.

As we move forward in our explanation of this chapter, remember that the opposition was determined to cause
Nehemiah to sin and get a bad reputation to discredit him. If he did this, ultimately, God’s glory would be
tarnished. Therefore, we as leaders need to diligently pay attention to the lessons found in this chapter so as
not to tarnish the character of God. Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before men so that they
may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. (HCSB)

I am doing great work and cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to
you? Nehemiah realized that considerable progress would only be made by keeping his focus on the right
priorities and values. Any organization would greatly benefit from doing a value evaluation. Bring your core
leadership team together and begin to make a list of the values that ignite your passions. But remember, it is
only when your values are tested that you will have a chance to determine if these are the values and passions
you deem worthy of holding onto. In this context, this team’s values were tested, and they realized in this
testing that they were exactly on the right path that God had laid out for them to follow. Remember, it is not
enough to write out what you value; it is only in God’s furnace of affliction that His values will be tested and will
then shine gold. Another leader said it this way: "Having found the purpose igniting your passions, you have to
test your values in the crucible of life’s experiences… You have to put yourself in situations in which your values
are challenged and then make difficult decisions in the context of your values.” 173

Looking at this statement from another perspective, what makes something a great work? It concerns me that
we have so divided the secular from the sacred in today's world. Working in the church is considered sacred,
but working in a grocery store is considered secular. However, Colossians 3:23 says, And whatsoever ye do, do
it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men. If this principle is followed, then everything should be considered
sacred if it can be done to honor God. “The point is much less what we do and much more how we do it and
who we do it for.” 174 Putting rocks around a city is not what made the work of Nehemiah great; rather, the fact
that God’s name would be honored was what made this work great. When I was in Bible College, I worked at
United Parcel Service sorting packages. I was very conscious that people were watching me, so I gave it
everything I had because I wanted my Lord to be glorified in my work. Therefore, sorting boxes was a great
work because God’s glory and His name were at stake in my life and in yours also.

2. A plot to malign him (6:5-9)
5 Sanballat sent me this same message a fifth time by his aide, who had an open letter in his hand. 6 In it was
written: It is reported among the nations—and Geshem agrees—that you and the Jews plan to rebel. This is
the reason you are building the wall. According to these reports, you are to become their king 7 and have
even set up the prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim on your behalf: “There is a king in Judah.” These rumors
will be heard by the king. So come, let’s confer together. 8 Then I replied to him, “There is nothing to these
rumors you are spreading; you are inventing them in your own mind.” 9 For they were all trying to intimidate
us, saying, “They will become discouraged in the work, and it will never be finished.” But now, [my God,]
strengthen me.

The second life lesson that I see from this passage of Scripture is that Nehemiah kept on working despite
defamation. After four attempts to move Nehemiah off of the main thing, Sanballat sent me this same
message a fifth time by his aide, who had an open letter in his hand. Remember, Nehemiah did not answer his
critics directly but said to them, I am doing a great work and cannot come down. Why should the work cease
59