And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” (Nehemiah 1:3, ESV)
The Book of Nehemiah begins with Nehemiah discovering a tragic situation. Jerusalem is in shambles. The wall is destroyed. Life is exceedingly difficult. The people of Jerusalem are harshly ruled by rulers with a lack compassion. They are taxed unfairly. They are vulnerable to raids from their enemies. And they are the laughingstock of the surrounding people.
When all this is brought to Nehemiah’s attention in Persia, he is moved to action. His heart is grieved. He intends to make a difference. He wants to make a difference. He goes to make a difference
The first part of being a leader is having a cause and committing yourself to serve that cause. For many of us, that cause comes naturally. It may be our family. It may be our church. It may be a community need. It may be a global need. Sometimes it is a big cause. Sometimes it is a little cause. But it is always an important cause.
Nehemiah did not need to go looking for this cause. It was brought to him. I would imagine if you are attentive to the things around you, you would recognize and see a great cause where you can fill the gap. You don’t need to go looking. You just need to open your eyes and ask the Holy Spirit to give you insight.
Look for what breaks God’s heart. There are needs and hurt all around us. You don’t need to look very far if you want to see it. We assume someone else will go. We think someone else will lead the effort. But if God is putting something on your heart, he doesn’t want you to stay where you are.
Finally, when you have a cause, commit yourself to that cause. One of the reasons we are ineffective is that we are often involved in many things, but not committed to anything. When Nehemiah took his first step to help the situation in Jerusalem, he went all in and did not look back.
Reflection
- Make a list of things that bother you, where your leadership might be needed.
- Where might God be calling you to commit yourself so that that you can make a difference for the kingdom?
Prayer
Lord, there is much that is wrong with this world. But I am too often too busy living my life that I fail to take notice of the hurt and the pain around me. Open my eyes to see where you are calling me to serve and make a difference. Give me wisdom and courage to commit my time and energy to a cause that is kingdom building. Amen.
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