Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: Nehemiah 7 and Psalm 19

Despite all the false accusations against him over the course of the building project, Nehemiah had not come to Jerusalem for political reasons. He had come out of an honest, heartfelt hunger to see the walls of the Sacred City restored. His heart was to see God’s people established in joyful freedom, worshiping God safely and peacefully within the protective barrier of the City Wall. So, once the wall was complete and the “worship and preaching team” (“musicians and Levites”) was in place, Nehemiah humbly withdrew himself from his leadership position. He appointed Hanani, who had first brought him news of Jerusalem’s sorry state (Neh. 1:1), as the political leader, and Hananiah, who “was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do” (7:2), as the military leader.

At the end of this chapter even the language of the book changes. No longer is it recorded in the first person as Nehemiah tells his own story. From chapter 8 the style changes to a third person narrator. Even in this change, Nehemiah has shifted himself to the side until chapters 12-13, when he briefly steps onto centre-stage again to end the account.

A great virtue (and skill) of godly leaders is knowing when to step out of the way to empower others to take up their God-given calling and to operate in their God-given gifting. I suspect Nehemiah got this right because his heart was in the right place – seeking God’s greatest glory and others’ highest best.

Lord Jesus, help me to be like You the way Nehemiah was in this chapter – seeking the Heavenly Father’s greatest glory and others’ highest best . Empower me, I pray, for this humble, God-centred, other-prioritising approach to my spiritual life and leadership. Amen.