A Man Who Confronts Sin

After standing against the discouragement of Tobias and Sanballat, Nehemiah now faced the challenge of confronting the people on their sin and recommitting their hearts to God.

One quality of great leaders is that they know the pulse of their followers. They know how they’re doing, what they’re wrestling with and what makes them tick. And while learning this requires time invested in people, a true leader sees it as an investment in the well-being of his ministry.

But even Nehemiah leaned on his friends. He assembled Ezra and a team of worshippers to help bring the people’s hearts out to the surface. We must ask: Who are my closest friends? Can they help me when I have difficult people to deal with? Can they help me change lives? Nehemiah learned that Sanballat was the son-in-law of one of the officials who aided in the rebuilding and who no doubtedly heard the negative remarks made. Yet, when the wall was reconstructed, the official wanted to provide lodging for Sanballat. This could have put Nehemiah in a place of wavering, but it didn’t. Instead of softening his stance for a fellow Jew, he dealt with the sin swiftly and godly. Softening of convictions has been the fall of many leaders. Let it no be ours.

Leadership is about what’s doing right, not about doing what’s easy, seeming fair or popular.

A Man Who Calls Other to Repentance

In chapter 9, the people heard the law read to them and confessed and repented of their many sins. Nehemiah called the Jews back to the standard of being separate from the world and to live in undivided devotion to God. The people agreed.

Calling others to repentance isn’t easy. Sometimes you’ll deal with stubbornness, bitterness and attitudes. But when the scriptures are read, there is no excuse for anyone to hold onto sin. We know that none of us has a leg to stand on when in the presence of God. We can lie to our fellow brother, hide from those who wish to rescue us, but God will always send someone to seek us out and redeem us for his sake. Leaders are those people. Nehemiah was one of those people.

A leader calls others to repent, not based on his standards, but by God’s.

A Man Who Is Remembered by God and Man

In the end, Nehemiah only asked that God remember him and all of his hard work among the people. He had a dream, he acted on the dream, he saw it to completion, he inspired others to follow the dream and as a result a nation was restored. He removed the sin from the camp with the help of his righteous friends, and he did all of this with God. Apart from Christ, Nehemiah may well take a seat with the Apostle Paul in his love and leadership among God’s people. He was a man of renowned faith, respected integrity, and of fearless conviction. And like Christ, zeal for God’s glory consumed him.

A man who leads with love, faith, passion and conviction will always be remembered.

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