Leadership is the ability to get others to want to follow you. Today’s text in Nehemiah lifts the window shade on Nehemiah’s soul, letting us see his heart and observe a quality of character that is irresistible in leaders.
There are few men portrayed in Scripture who had more lasting success leading than Nehemiah. In fact, the success of some, like Saul and Solomon, led to their demise, as power often does. In fact, a case could be made that the adversity Nehemiah had just come through in the last chapter is less of a threat to many leaders than success. As Scottish essayist and historian, Thomas Carlyle, once declared, “Adversity is hard on a man; but for every one man who can withstand prosperity there are a hundred that will withstand adversity.” In Nehemiah 5:14-19 we see a quality that allowed him to win a following in both adversity and prosperity.
Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land. Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people. Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people.
Here we see revealed the bedrock foundation on which Nehemiah's phenomenal success rested: his character. If we were to choose one word to describe his character—to summarize the habitual attitude that we see in Nehemiah—that goes a long way to explaining why others followed his leadership, it would be giver. Nehemiah chose to walk through life as a giver instead of a taker. It's fair to say there are two kinds of people in this world: 1) those who walk into every situation with their eyes focused on others' needs and their minds searching for ways to give, and 2) those who walk through life with their eyes focused on themselves—concerned about their needs, their rights, their happiness, and their success.
When Jesus takes a hold of a person's life, he increasingly turns that person from being a taker to being a giver. After all, Jesus said, “I did not come to be served but to serve and to give my life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Those who follow him are givers of their affection, energy, attention, time, and money. In four different places in these verses from Nehemiah, we see Nehemiah being a giver.
NEHEMIAH’S ACTIONS
A. Verses 14-15: Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor. But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God, I did not act like that. Nehemiah makes it clear that during his administration’s entire, 12-year-tenure, neither he nor his household demanded their rightful salaries from the impoverished people. Nehemiah provided for the expenses of his official position out of his own funds, this despite the fact that his predecessors in office had depended on the usual taxation to support their bureaucracy. And the implications of the word, high, were that the taxes were unreasonably heavy.
Nehemiah waived his right to be supported by the taxes of the people. In this action he reminds us of the apostle Paul who in 1 Corinthians 9 argues vigorously for his rights as an apostle and then declares, “Nevertheless we did not use this right but we endured all things that we may cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.” Paul and Nehemiah were givers instead of takers.
B. We see Nehemiah's spirit of generosity permeating his administration in a second way. In contrast to previous administrations, Nehemiah's associates do not abuse their positions of power. Verse 15 Their assistants also lorded it over the people but out of reverence for God I did not act like that. The proof that Nehemiah's focus was genuinely fixed on serving other people was that his closest followers respected him enough to follow his example. He led his administration to NOT use its power selfishly, being takers by lording it over the people, but givers, serving the people’s interests.
C. We see Nehemiah’s unselfish attitude further revealed In verse 16. Nehemiah tells us that during his administration neither he nor his household engaged in land speculation. We did not acquire any land. Remember, we saw last week that the famine was causing economic hardship in Judea. Farmers were mortgaging their farms for money to feed their children and to pay their taxes. Many defaulted on their loans and the money lenders foreclosed on them. Much land would have been available at auction prices. How easily Nehemiah could have taken his governor's salary to pay for his living expenses and invested his resources in land at bargain-basement prices that was sure to go up in value after the wall was rebuilt, people felt secure, and much of the trade that they had lost was restored. And who could fault him for making wise investments? But he was not a taker but a giver. Furthermore, his refusal to take advantage of the hardships of others was an example followed by his team. Notice the plural WE. “We did not acquire land.” He was far more concerned about the hardship on his countrymen than increasing his net worth.
D. Nehemiah gave another proof of his generosity as governor; he not only refused to draw his salary as governor he regularly entertained over 150 officials plus diplomatic visitors at his own expense. Verse 17.
Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations. Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor
Why? Because he was a giver not a taker. Verse 18 explains, because the demands were heavy on the people.
NEHEMIAH’S MOTIVATION
Let’s examine some clues revealed in this text about the inner motivations of Nehemiah that made him a giver.
A. Verse 15. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that. The Hebrew word translated reverence here is the fear of the Lord. Nehemiah had a healthy fear about ever using his leadership position to be a taker and for good reason. Abusing the leadership God has given you is risky business. God doesn't mess around with leaders. If you're a leader, you are held more accountable than others. James points out that the teachers of the Word are judged by a higher standard. In Hebrews, God reveals that elders will give an account for those under their care to God. If you or I use our position of leadership to be a taker we can count on it: we will be punished by God. He will ensure that we lose more than we gain. Consider a few biblical examples
- King Saul, from his position of leadership, God’s victor over the Amalekites was a taker of the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, which God commanded him to destroy which caused God to take away his kingdom.
- King David from his position of leadership was a taker: he took the wife of Uriah and it cost his the life of his first born son and the rebellion of his son Absalom.
- King Nebuchadnezzar was a taker. He took glory that belonged to God and God took his sanity from him.
Nehemiah had good reason to fear using his position to be a taker.
B. Nehemiah was also motivated by his compassion for the people. Verse 18. I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people. What is the first evidence that God's spirit has come into your life as you've come to Christ? Your focus is fixed on the needs of others. The fruit of the spirit is love. In response to his disciples arguing about who would be the greatest in his kingdom, Jesus stripped to his underwear, picked up a towel and basin and washed each of his disciple’s feet. Then Jesus said, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you (Jn 13:14-15). A few verses later he said, A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another (Jn 13:33-34). Jesus' business is making givers out of takers.
C. Nehemiah's motivation is further revealed in verse 19. Remember me with favor, my God, for all I have done for these people. Nehemiah knew that the people would soon forget his sacrificial service and prayed that the Lord would not. Here, he reveals a great secret about becoming givers. Our own needs matter. So, the key to abandoning our preoccupation with self (being therefore takers) to set our focus on others as givers is realizing a wonderful truth about God’s nature. YOU CANNOT OUT-GIVE HIM. Jesus taught this truth when he said, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap” (Lk 6:38).
May I ask, “How much progress has God made changing you from a taker to a giver?” Here is a bit of a mirror, which is rather convicting to me.
- When a taker hears about some need his first response is “That's not my responsibility.” When a giver hears about some need he wonders what he can do to meet that need.
- When a taker comes home from work, he expects to kick off his shoes, sit in his easy chair, and relax because he's worked hard. When a giver comes home, he is expecting to share the load of home responsibilities.
- When a taker looks at his pay-raise or tax refund he thinks of the things he'd like to have that he is now able to afford. When a giver gets a pay-raise, he asks, “How can I give some of this increase to your kingdom support?”
- When a taker formulates his weekend schedule, he defaults to his to-do list. When a giver schedules his time at home, he considers both his own and his wife’s honey-do list.
- When a taker considers his tasks for the day, praying for others ends up near the bottom of the list. When a giver considers his tasks for the day, praying for his loved ones is a high priority because he knows that giving some of the treasure of his 24 hours to intercede for our loved ones will always give them strength for winning their spiritual battles.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore…be praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints (Eph. 6:12, 18).
Transforming us into those who go through life as givers instead of takers does not happen by God just hitting a switch. It is hard, painful work. But it is the path of life. Jesus put it this way, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Mt 16:24).
Lord, make us givers, not takers trusting YOU to take care of our needs, so we do not have to be worried about them and can focus on others.
For Further Prayerful Thought:
- Which example of Nehemiah being a giver rather than a taker most stood out to you?
- What do you think are the biggest obstacles to become more of a giver than taker in all of our interactions with others?
- How might the three observations we made about Nehemiah’s internal motivations explain his behavior as a giver instead of a taker?
