Everyone is created for a God-given mission, which may seem impossible at first, but is achievable with faith. The only thing that keeps you from accomplishing it is whether you accept the mission or not.

Nehemiah’s mission to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls was about building far more than a mortar and stone wall around the city. Nehemiah’s greater mission was focusing on people as well as projects, aiming to create a community that relates to God and each other long after the wall project concluded. Miraculously, the wall took only 52 days to build, then Nehemiah sent the people home to settle in and rest after their arduous labors.

Soon thereafter, Nehemiah sets a date for all the residents of Jerusalem to come together. Thousands gather with great expectations. Nehemiah calls upon the prophet Ezra, the most respected leader of that day, to read Scripture. And that he does, for six continuous hours! The Scriptures recount their ancestors escape from Egypt, their wandering in the wilderness, their rebellion and repeated disobedience to God; yet God never failed them! The impact of these words breaks them emotionally. Filled with sorrow and repentance they cry and mourn. The situation gets out of hand, and Nehemiah senses that things are spiraling toward destructive grief. He sends the people home with a word of encouragement, telling them to remember that the joy of the Lord is their strength.

As a great leader, Nehemiah possesses the most essential traits of successful leadership. First, he shows emotional intelligence. He observes, senses, and acts in accordance with the needs of the people. He cares about them and does not use their vulnerable state to reprimand them or motivate them for personal gain.

Great leaders must also be self-aware. They need to temper their approach. Understand when they are being too heavy-handed, as well as when they need to exert their influence in a more forceful way. 

Great leaders must also be agile. When situations and circumstances change, they must be fluid and able to adjust. They can’t allow a curve ball to detour them.

After the people have time to recover from the first community gathering, Nehemiah brings them together again and encourages them to recommit to God, highlighting the significance of obedience to God’s commandments for a fulfilling life. He presents the people with a written covenant and asks each of them to sign the covenant stating their promise to 100% obey God’s commands and live according to his plan. Nehemiah is the first to sign. A great leader never asks the people to do anything he isn’t willing to do first.

The most important thing to God is people! He sent Jesus to die for people, so they could be adopted into His family. Leaders treasure what God treasures! God calls us to treasure those within our realm of influence, to treat them fairly and with consideration of their value to God. We should be 100% committed to God and to His plan for our lives.

Scriptures – Matthew 19:26 (NLT); Nehemiah 6:15, 8:10 (NIV); Nehemiah 10:29 (CEB) 

Verses – “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” (Mt 19:26)

Questions – How adept is your emotional intelligence? Can you read a room? Can you tell when someone has signed off on your conversation? Do you recognize when you are being overpowering? Do you know when you need to step it up and be more forceful? How well do you adjust when your plan gets highjacked? What have you found to be the most important thing to remember when leading and influencing others?

Prayer – Dear Lord, thank you for your guidance and wisdom. Illuminate my heart and mind so I can lead others as you desire. Help me to treasure those you have put within my care. I recommit my life to you. I want you to be first in every area of my life. Guide my path. Help me to follow you 100%. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.