Leadership 101 – Part 5

Steven Lake Posted on Posted in Life Well-Lived Tagged with ,

“So I continued, ‘What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies?’” Nehemiah 5:9

Leadership is hard. Every leader faces internal dissension and external opposition. But a true leader will focus solely on the mission and overcomes any barrier to its accomplishment.

Context:
Nehemiah faced opposition from Gentile rulers and dissension in the ranks. The poor borrowed money to buy food from wealthy Jews at a high interest rate. When the borrowers defaulted, they either lost their property or sold their children into slavery. Nehemiah called a meeting and ordered the lenders to return the property and interest payments. They agreed, and kept their promise.

Leadership Lessons:

A leader resolves conflict.

  • Conflict can result from outside forces, such as a famine; or from internal conduct, such as high interest rates.
  • Every leader will face conflict. It comes with the territory.
  • Conflict resolution is a critical skill for effective leaders.

A leader thinks first, then responds.

  • “… I was very angry. I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials.”1
  • Nehemiah used a three-step approach:
  1. Feel
  2. Think
  3. Act

A leader disciplines wisely.

  • Nehemiah took immediate action. He called together a large meeting, presented the charges, rendered a decision, and administered justice.
  • His statements were direct:
  1. “What you are doing is not right.”2
  2. “But let the extracting of usury stop!”3
  3. “Give back to them immediately …”4
  • He made the offenders take a public oath administered by the priests, and issued a strong warning of the consequences if they violated the agreement.5

A leader serves God alone.

  • His servant leadership contrasted sharply from previous governors. For 12 years Nehemiah served without salary or fringe benefits. He worked alongside the people, and fed 150 people per day at his own expense.
  • “But out of reverence for God I did not act like that.”6

A leader anticipates eternal rewards.

  • “Remember me with favor, O my God, for all I have done for these people.”7

Prayer:
“Lord, I want to be a servant leader. Too often my leadership motive has been has been my temporal rewards.  Please forgive me and help me. Amen.”

Endnotes:
1. Nehemiah 5:6b,7
2. Nehemiah 5:9a
3. Nehemiah 5:10b
4. Nehemiah 5:11a
5. Nehemiah 5:12b
6. Nehemiah 15:c
7. Nehemiah 15:19

© 2013 Designed to Serve®


 

About

Dr. Steve Lake is a retired educator with over 30 years experience in the American public schools. He has served in a variety of position, including teacher, elementary school principal, junior high principal, Associate Superintendent, retired from public education as Superintendent of Schools in Lincolnwood, IL. He has his Bachelors, Masters and Doctor of Education degrees from Northern Illinois University. For the past 25 years Steve has attended and been a member of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington and Northfield, IL. At Willow Creek Steve has taught adult classes on spiritual gifts, life purpose, and spiritual disciplines. He has ministered overseas in Angola, Zambia, Honduras, Germany, and Russia. Steve is co-founder of Designed to Serve, a ministry that equips Christians to live out their unique God-given calling. Steve is married and has two adult children who are married.