NEHEMIAH AND THE LAW OF NAVIGATION
Anyone Can Steer the Ship, but It Takes a Leader to Chart the Course
LEADERS WHO navigate do even more than control the direction in which they and their people travel. They see the whole trip in their minds before they leave the dock. They have a vision for their destination, they understand what it will take to get there, they know who they’ll need on the team to be successful, and they recognize the obstacles long before they appear on the horizon.
Sometimes it’s difficult balancing optimism and realism, intuition and planning, faith and fact. But that’s what it takes to be effective as a navigating leader.
Above everything else, the secret to the Law of Navigation is preparation. When you prepare well, you convey confidence and trust to the people. It’s not the size of the project that determines its acceptance, support and success. It’s the size of the leader. Leaders who are good navigators are capable of taking their people just about anywhere.
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It seems remarkable, but Nehemiah could see both the problem and the solution even though he had never visited Jerusalem. That’s an incredible characteristic of all great leaders: They have uncommon vision. And that’s why they can navigate groups of people.
A leader sees . . .
• Farther than others see. Nehemiah was able to see the problem even though he lived hundreds of miles away from Jerusalem. And he could picture the solution in his head.
• More than others see. Nehemiah knew that the wall could and should be rebuilt, and he knew what it would take to do it. Before he left Shushan, he asked the king to provide him with letters allowing him to gather materials and granting him safe passage to Judah.
• Before others see. None of Jerusalem’s neighbors wanted to see the Jews rebuild their wall, and several enemy leaders conspired against Nehemiah and the people. But Nehemiah saw the danger and planned accordingly; he refused to give in to enemy plots. And when the people sensed danger, he formulated strategies to defend the city and keep the people working at the same time.
The Jews needed only 52 days to rebuild a city wall that had lain in ruins for more than 120 years. And they were able to do it because they had a great leader to navigate for them.
Nehemiah knew his purpose, made his plans, and led the people through the process. His is truly one of the most remarkable stories of leadership ever recorded.
Nehemiah’s Navigation
Before the building process could begin, Nehemiah spent time getting himself and his people ready.
1. He identified with the problem (1:2–4). Nehemiah first inquired about the status of the Jews and the wall around Jerusalem. When he heard that the wall remained a rubble and that God’s name was being mocked, he wept. The people’s problem became his problem and his burden to bear.
2. He spent time in prayer (1:4–11). Almost immediately Nehemiah went to his knees to pray. He confessed his wrongdoing and that of the people and he interceded for them. Then he asked for God’s favor. No doubt he got the vision and plan to rebuild the wall during his time of connection with God.
3. He approached the key influencers (2:1–9). In any leadership endeavor, key people of influence can make or break the whole undertaking. In this case, it was the Persian king Artaxerxes. From him, Nehemiah received not only permission to rebuild the wall, but also resources and support. Nehemiah undoubtedly also selected and approached other key people to take with him.
4. He assessed the situation (2:11–15). When he finally arrived in Jerusalem, Nehemiah surveyed firsthand the challenge facing him. He did it quietly, at night, personally assessing the damage and planning the project without interference or unwanted advice.
5. He met with the people and cast the vision (2:16–17). We don’t know exactly how Nehemiah approached the people or with whom he met first, but we do know he spoke with the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the people who did the work. He described his vision for rebuilding the wall and the spiritual ramifications of the project.
6. He encouraged them with past successes (2:18). With a task as daunting as the rebuilding of the wall, Nehemiah knew he needed to encourage the people. So he “told them about the gracious hand of [his] God . . . and what the king had said to [him]” (2:18).
7. He received buy-in from the people (2:18). Two short sentences record the turning point for the whole rebuilding process: “They replied, ‘Let us start rebuilding.’ So they began this good work” (2:18). The people had bought in. They dedicated themselves to Nehemiah’s leadership and vision.
8. He organized the people and got them working (3:1–32). The people didn’t work haphazardly. Nehemiah organized them by family and set them to work according to planned priorities, beginning with the city’s gates.
Nehemiah put a lot of work into realizing his vision. Without his great leadership and careful planning, the wall may never have been built.
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When Nehemiah heard that the walls of Jerusalem lay in ruins, that its charred gates sat rotting, and that the Jewish survivors lived in distress and reproach, he did what every great leader must do: He fasted and prayed.
Something powerful happens when a leader prays and stands in the gap for his people. Intercession must always be a primary role for a leader. The apostle Peter once declared his top two leadership priorities: prayer and the ministry of God’s Word (Ac 6:4). A leader’s prayer accomplishes four things:
1. Prayer internalizes the burden, deepening our ownership of a need.
2. Prayer insists that we quiet our hearts and wait, slowing us down to receive from God.
3. Prayer infuses the vision, enabling us to see what God wants to do.
4. Prayer initiates the vision’s fulfillment, acting as a catalyst for us to act.
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INITIATIVE | Nehemiah Takes the Lead
NEHEMIAH MIGHT have served as the poster boy for the philosophy, “You never have to recover from a good start.” He powerfully illustrates the role of initiative in a leader’s life.
This godly leader took initiative in praying for Jerusalem’s problem, in planning the rebuilding project, in persuading the people to act, and in pursuing the product they all wanted. And he did it in that order. His initiative showed great insight.
Nehemiah couldn’t imagine sitting still when he heard the walls of Jerusalem lay in shambles. He had to act. Of all the things a leader should fear, complacency ought to head the list.
But what enables good leaders to initiate? Nehemiah demonstrates that leaders know something in their heart or in their gut that prompts them to move. They don’t know everything, but they know enough to act. Nehemiah had insight into the following areas:
1. He knew how long the project would take (2:6).
Nehemiah gave King Artaxerxes a definite time period for his absence.
2. He knew how to get there (2:7).
Nehemiah asked for letters of permission to pass through the provinces beyond the river to Judah.
3. He knew what he would need to get the job done (2:8).
Nehemiah requested timbers from Asaph to make beams and gates for the wall.
4. He knew that God’s hand was upon him (2:8).
Nehemiah got all that he requested because the hand of God rested on him.
Qualities of Initiators
Nehemiah displayed the qualities that make for initiative in leaders:
1. They know what they want.
Desire is the starting point of all achievement. Nehemiah knew that he wanted that wall up.
2. They push themselves to act.
At first, Nehemiah acted alone. He pushed to get the facts that would move others.
3. They take more risks.
Nehemiah took some major risks as he got permission to go, to get wood, and to survey the job.
4. They make more mistakes.
Nehemiah wasn’t afraid to mobilize men who weren’t professional contractors or soldiers to build and fight.
5. They go with their gut.
What Nehemiah lacked in experience, he made up for with the passion of his heart.
• • • • •
For a negative example of initiative, see 21 Qualities: Initiative: One Earmark of a True Leader.
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The Law of Timing: Nehemiah Chose the Moment to See the King
Good leaders understand that timing is everything. Nehemiah spoke to the king about Jerusalem, but not until four months after he first heard about its broken wall. He began praying about the ruined wall in December, but not until April did he approach the king about rebuilding them. What was he waiting on?
No one knows for sure, but Nehemiah might well have been waiting on . . .
1. His ownership of the burden and vision.
2. A foundation of prayer to be laid.
3. His own readiness with a plan.
4. The king’s mental and emotional mood.
5. The season when he could move quickly.
6. A trust to deepen between him and the king.
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The Law of Buy-In: Nehemiah Shares the Why Before the What
Nehemiah takes three days to size things up in Jerusalem before he speaks to the Jews, the officials, the priests and the nobles. When he does speak, he practices the Law of Buy-In. He knows his countrymen would have to buy in to him before they would buy in to his plan.
Notice how this man declares the why before he explains the what. He provides the following reasons to get his colleagues to buy in to his vision for rebuilding the wall:
1. He had committed himself to oversee the project (2:5).
2. Asaph had approved timber for the beams and gates (2:8).
3. The situation was a reproach to Israel (2:17).
4. The ruined walls could not protect any of them (2:17).
5. God’s hand was on him and had given him favor (2:18).
6. King Artaxerxes had given him permission to come and rebuild (2:18).
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The Law of Connection: Nehemiah’s Construction Follows Connection
Nehemiah connected with the hearts of his volunteers before asking them to sacrifice their time and energy. He appealed to their sense of dignity, identity and responsibility. The wall went up in record time because he won the hearts of the builders prior to winning the hands of the builders.
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The rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem is not the story of a single successful person. The walls were rebuilt because a leader rallied many people to work together. Nehemiah asked for help, first from the king and then from the people of Jerusalem. Together they rebuilt the wall in a remarkable fifty-two days.
Nehemiah reminds us that leaders always enlist the help of others to accomplish a vision. Use these prompts to remind you when it’s time to ask for help:
• When the problem is bigger than you.
• When the problem becomes personal.
• When you have shared the problem with God.
• When you are willing to do your part.
• When you sense God’s approval for the vision.
• When others oppose you.
Leaders don’t always need a miracle to do something miraculous. They just need to get people working together. Don’t let insecurity, ego, or fear make you try to go it alone. That’s not what leadership is all about. In God’s kingdom, people are ready to help you at the right time in the right way. You just need to ask.
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The Law of Priorities: Nehemiah Wisely Uses His Resources
Thomas Jefferson once said, “No duty the executive has to perform is so trying as to put the right man in the right place.” Shortly after his arrival in Jerusalem, we see Nehemiah busily at work putting the right men in the right places.
The text lists specific men as the builders of specific gates. Why? Nehemiah has placed them in stations according to their natural gifts and interests and has them build the portion of the wall right in front of their homes. Talk about self-motivation!
Nehemiah recognized the principles that make organizations progress:
1. Motivation without organization equals frustration.
2. The strongest organizations are the simplest.
3. Leaders love everybody, but move with the movers.
4. Good organizations establish clear lines of authority.
5. People do what you inspect, not what you expect.
6. Leaders provide a supportive climate of trust and teamwork.
7. Successful organizations recognize and reward effort.
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Sanballat: The Great Distracter
Nehemiah had to contend with the same kind of pest that plagues most true leaders today: distracters who torment and do everything possible to interfere in the work of the kingdom. Sanballat played this distracting role in the life of Nehemiah.
Soon after the wall around Jerusalem started going up, word reached Sanballat of the construction. He knew that the repair of the wall and the restoration of Jerusalem would bring a major shift in commerce and political power. Sanballat liked the status quo and had a vested interest in Jerusalem remaining in disrepair, so he set about his distracting work.
Sanballat first tried to stop the work by mocking and ridiculing the Jews. When that didn’t work, this evil but resourceful leader adjusted his strategies. He shifted his tactics to fear, entrapment and political maneuvering.
The contrast between Nehemiah and Sanballat could hardly be more pronounced. Nehemiah’s leadership and character countered every assault of Sanballat and provided the impetus for his godly vision to be completed.
Contemporary leaders can learn several valuable lessons from studying Sanballat’s assaults, threats and schemes:
• Expect distracters.
• Don’t give them the time of day.
• Trust God to protect you and your reputation.
• Keep your hands to the plow and don’t look back.
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Commitment: How to Beat Your Problems
One of the great tests of leadership is how you handle opposition. Nehemiah faced the usual tactics of the opposition: ridicule (Ne 4:1–3); resistance (4:7–8); and rumor (4:11–12). Nehemiah modeled the right response to all three of these challenges. He . . .
1. Relied on God (4:4–5).
2. Respected the opposition (4:9).
3. Reinforced his weak points (4:13).
4. Reassured the people (4:14).
5. Refused to quit (4:15).
6. Renewed the people’s strength continually (4:16–23).
While Nehemiah 4 concerns problems from without, chapter 5 deals with problems from within—disputes about food, property and taxes.
Persistence is the ultimate gauge of our leadership; the secret is to outlast our critics. Nehemiah taught us this lesson by staying committed to his ultimate calling.
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The Law of the Big Mo: Nehemiah’s Best Friend
Momentum is a leader’s best friend. When leaders lack momentum, they appear worse than they really are. When they have momentum, they appear better than they really are.
Nehemiah saw his momentum grind to a halt when opponents ridiculed and mocked the wall rebuilding project. Workers became discouraged. After prayer and a word of encouragement from their leader, the work continued, and momentum kicked in once more. Nehemiah regained momentum by these actions:
1. He prayed for the work and the workers (4:9–10).
2. He created a plan to address the problems (4:12–13).
3. He called for the best out of his workers (4:14).
4. He reminded them of God’s help in their divine mission (4:14).
5. He provided a new strategy for victory (4:16).
6. He furnished new tools (weapons) for the workers (4:16–17).
7. He rallied the people to support each other (4:19–20).
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The Law of Victory: Nehemiah Finishes the Wall in Record Time
Nehemiah did nearly everything right as a leader. He never distanced himself from his people by eating from the governor’s allowance; he didn’t levy heavy taxes; he stayed committed to hands-on construction; and he refused to buy real estate, unlike previous governors (Ne 5:14–19).
As the wall neared completion, Sanballat and Tobiah invited Nehemiah to come down from his work for a chat. He responded, “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” (Ne 6:3). Before long the wall was completed, finished in record time. We can learn at least four significant leadership lessons from studying Nehemiah’s leadership:
1. The quickest way to stop a great work is to stop a great leader.
2. Problems and projects seem to go together.
3. The tide turns once the project is successful.
4. A successful project will bring glory to God.
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Commitment: Four Characteristics of Those Who Complete a Task
Commitment comes before anything else in a leader’s life. Because Nehemiah had it and drew it out of others, the people finished the wall in 52 days, despite many adversities. Their great accomplishment so thrilled Nehemiah that he wrote, “When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God” (Ne 6:16).
Leaders who complete a task possess at least four characteristics:
1. A compelling purpose: They make a great commitment to a great cause.
2. A clear perspective: They don’t let fear cloud their view of the future.
3. A continual prayer: They pray about everything and gain God’s favor.
4. A courageous persistence: They move ahead despite the odds.
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Two emotions usually follow a great achievement: first, a sigh of relief and celebration; and second, a sense of . . . now what?
How we handle achievement tells us a lot about our character. The period following a success can become a dangerous time. Sometimes we feel tempted toward complacency, especially if we lack another goal. We can become satisfied and let down our guard. Momentum leaks.
The moment of victory is a crucial time for any organization. The leader must be able to change—or face a transitional problem. The transitional problem occurs when the leader does not know how to grow with the organization. Nehemiah’s life illustrates the problem:
Two Types of Leadership Seasons
1. Catalyst: Gets it going | 1. Consolidator: Keeps it going |
2. Designer: Thinks it up | 2. Developer: Follows it up |
3. Motivator: Encourages | 3. Manager: Organizes |
4. Entrepreneur: Relies on self | 4. Executive: Relies on others |
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The 17 Laws of Teamwork in Action
ESSENTIAL ELEMENT | ESSENTIAL ELEMENT | ESSENTIAL ELEMENT | ESSENTIAL ELEMENT |
TEAM VALUE | TEAM DEFINITION | TEAM MECHANICS | TEAM PRODUCTION |
① | ② | ③ | ④ |
SIGNIFICANCE | BENCH | NICHE | MOUNT EVEREST |
One is too small a number to achieve greatness. | Great teams have great depth. | All players have a place where they add the most value. | As the challenge escalates, the need for teamwork elevates. |
HIGH MORALE When you’re winning, nothing hurts. | IDENTITY Shared values define the team. | COMPASS Vision gives team members direction and confidence. | CHAIN The strength of the team is impacted by its weakest link. |
DIVIDENDS Investing in the team compounds over time. | COMMUNICATION Interaction fuels action. | BAD APPLE Rotten attitudes ruin a team. | CATALYST Winning teams have players who make things happen. |
EDGE The difference between two equally talented teams is leadership. | SCOREBOARD The team can make adjustments when it knows where it stands. | COUNTABILITY Teammates must be able to count on each other when it counts. | |
BIG PICTURE The goal is more important than the role. | PRICE TAG The team fails to reach its potential when it fails to pay the price. |
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Nehemiah and Ezra both wanted the rebuilt wall to symbolize rebuilt spiritual lives. “They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read” (Ne 8:8). These leaders wanted their people to understand and apply what they heard.
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Nehemiah: Committed to the Way of God
Nehemiah and the rest of Israel’s leaders well understood the gravity of entering into covenants, making promises, and signing contracts. So can there be any doubt that a reverent hush fell over them when they determined together to sign a covenant with the true and living God?
After Nehemiah had led his countrymen through a time of confession and repentance, the governor decided it was time to commit themselves to obey the laws and commands that God had given Israel so long before. It was time to commit their hearts to the Lord himself.
Nehemiah made sure the people did not sign this agreement lightly. Following the example of Moses centuries earlier, he urged the people to swear an oath to God, accepting both blessings for obedience and curses for rebellion. They promised to faithfully adhere to every word of God’s Law and not deviate from it in any way (Ne 10:29).
As governor and top leader of his people, Nehemiah signed the document first. In doing so, he showed his commitment to sticking with the agreement and set an example for the rest of the leadership and the nation. As always, he acted as a “leader’s leader.”
When leaders step forward the way Nehemiah did, they make possible a climate for renewal and revival. Even today we rightly look to him as an example of true leadership.
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The Law of Legacy: There Is No Success Without a Successor
Even after Nehemiah returned to King Artaxerxes, he felt the necessity to follow up on the work in Jerusalem. When he returned to visit the walled city, he learned the people already had compromised God’s statutes—and he knew he had to do something to ensure the success of the last several months of labor.
Nehemiah learned that when the leader is away, the people tend to stray. Consider the following problems he encountered:
1. Compromising companionship (vv. 1–9)
2. Financial fiasco (vv. 10–14)
3. Secularized Sabbath (vv. 15–22)
4. Domestic disobedience (vv. 23–31)
When Nehemiah failed to develop a strong inner circle and reproduce his vision in a team of leaders, everyone drifted. He witnessed firsthand the second law of thermodynamics: Things don’t wind up; they wind down, unless energy is applied. A sound legacy develops only when a team has been trained and positioned to carry on.
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The Law of Empowerment: Nehemiah Develops Others to Carry On
Once the work was finished, Nehemiah chose to return to King Artaxerxes. But he recognized that he must appoint and equip others to lead the Jews in Jerusalem. Nehemiah wasn’t satisfied with a one-time victory. For the work to go on, he knew he had to empower others to lead. He had to give his power away. And he did. Once he did, he felt his work was done and he could return to the king as he had promised.
As Nehemiah draws to a close, we observe numerous lessons throughout the story. It is one grand narrative on leadership. Consider the following list called “Ten Things I Know About Leadership.” Not surprisingly, Nehemiah models every one of these truths:
1. Leadership is influence (2:5–8, 16–18).
2. Everything rises and falls on leadership (4:9–15).
3. Leadership must be in the hands of few, ministry in the hands of many (5:1–7).
4. Leadership takes responsibility for every area of the task (6:1–14).
5. The most important ingredient in leadership is credibility/integrity (5:14–19).
6. Leaders possess tremendous faith in people (3:1–32).
7. Leadership can be taught (4:21–23).
8. Great leaders are effective communicators of vision (2:17–18).
9. Problem solving is the quickest way to gain leadership (4:7–23).
10. Great leadership is always assisted by other people (3:1–32; 13:13).
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