SENSIBLE LEADERSHIP. Nehemiah 3 A man who keeps in touch with God knows his own strengths and weaknesses. He is true to God and His principles and makes those principles his own. Through prayer and personal devotion to God and His work, he is able to make wise decisions and plans for the work God gives him before starting it. To "wing it" or make snap judgments on the spur of the moment would lead to many mistakes, and the work would have to be done all over again. Fellowship and the teamwork necessary for a great work begin with leaders having a clear understanding of the goal and how to reach it, and then being able to make that plain to those who will participate in the work.
The wall Nehemiah came to build, and the gates to be repaired and set in place, were means to an end. The trouble and reproach the people of God were in reflected on the God they knew and were supposed to represent. A haphazard approach to any work we are called to testify to our character. Nehemiah was a man of strong, trustworthy character. He himself was a motivating factor in the work ahead. He depended on God and took the necessary steps to begin and maintain the momentum of the work before them.
Much of the work before the Jews was repair work. They had been living in their houses next to the piles of stones that had once been walls, and had become used to looking at evidence of disaster and defeat. Then a man of vision and faith in God was able to describe a finished work before it even started - "We be no more a reproach (disgrace)." When all seems lost, how wonderful it is when one person can see beyond what is wrong to what things are supposed to be like and has the vision and the courage to know how to get there.
There are some things to build, but far more to repair – after a tragedy has nearly destroyed a work. Spiritual leaders need to step up to lead and share, so others will see that they don’t shrink from physical labor. Repairing a work so large requires each person to fill a place that fits with others and is uniquely theirs. When that work is completed, you will see in their faces evidence that they truly care.
Removing the ashes and all the broken pieces is where this kind of work begins. When you get down to the foundation, you will see that this is the place to begin rebuilding what was broken. Walls need to be built to protect the citizens. There are enemies who still want to hinder and divide, to capture the innocent, and, in their strength and numbers, they flaunt them.