Resurrected Lifestyle
Nehemiah 5:14-19
Dave Thomas, the founder of Wendy’s became a familiar sight to millions in his company’s television commercials. Dave also appeared in a lot of in store training films. In those, as in many of the more familiar commercials, he would dress as his workers. One year he appeared on the cover of one of the company’s annual reports dressed in a knee-length work apron holding a mop and a plastic bucket. For many years, a framed copy of that picture graced the back rooms and manager’s office of most Wendy’s. That picture was built on the fact Dave was a self-made millionaire. He didn’t finish high school. He worked his way up through the ranks of Kentucky Fried Chicken and then went off on his own to start Wendy’s. Here’s how Dave explained that picture: “I got my M.B.A. long before my G.E.D. At Wendy’s M.B.A. does not mean Master of Business Administration. It means Mop Bucket Attitude.” Dave Thomas taught all of his employees that service comes before success.
Nehemiah shows us that to be a leader, you must really become a servant leader. He gives us some keen insight and lessons of what it means to be a servant leader today.
First, we’re in this together attitude. Throughout Chapters 4 and 5, Nehemiah uses two key words in describing the events and in speaking with the people rebuilding the wall- “we” and “us”. This was never an “us” versus “them” thing. This was never about Nehemiah and what he could accomplish. This is about God’s call on Nehemiah and the people of Israel to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Nehemiah is in this thing with the people from the start and will be with them through the peaks and valleys until the very end. He’s there physically, mentally and spiritually. While Nehemiah is the leader and coordinator of the rebuilding of the walls, he’s one of the people and one with the people in this task and God’s call upon their life together.
Second, servant leaders seek the well-being of others. Verses 13, 16-17, 20 He pulled half the men off the rebuilding lines and outfitted and armed them as sentries and soldiers. He then placed them at the lowest points of the wall, the exposed places. He also stationed them behind the people, in effect saying, “We got your backs.!” Not only that, he put an emergency plan in place in the event that Sanballat and his armies were going to attack. All this spoke to the men, women and children that Nehemiah wasn’t concerned just about the work of rebuilding but first and foremost about the safety and well-being of those who were on the frontlines, sacrificing and laboring to rebuild the wall of God’s Holy City. As a result, the people doubled their efforts and worked long past quitting time because they knew they were safe and that Nehemiah was more concerned about them than the completion of the wall.
Third, servant leaders make personal sacrifices for the sake of others, the mission and the organization. verse 14. "Neither I nor my brothers ate the food that was allotted to us." As governor, Nehemiah was entitled to the very best of food and wine and proportionally more than anyone else. But he realized being a servant leader is not always about receiving. It’s about giving to God’s greater purpose so that others can experience blessings. There were a lot of perks for the Governor; and his whole team could have had many great benefits, but Nehemiah chose to do things differently from the governors before him who had oppressed the people through their lavish living. Instead, he chose to make personal sacrifices for the sake of the people.
Servant leaders lead by sacrifice, not by an attitude of entitlement. As a servant leader, Nehemiah realized that the more responsibility that you’ve been given means the less rights you have. As leaders, every time God gives us greater responsibility, it diminishes and decreases our rights and privileges that we have in the kingdom of God. Because of this huge responsibility to God’s work and leading God’s people, it was imperative that Nehemiah set the example. Nehemiah realized that it was more about influence than affluence. Nehemiah realized that God gave him a position to have influence on the people, but he didn’t give him a position to gain greater affluence. Servant leaders realize it’s not about me. It’s about leading through sacrifice. Other leaders had sought to move with self-interest, but Nehemiah realized that it wasn’t about oppressing others; it was about relieving others so that they could fulfill their life purpose as well. And that started with his sacrifice.
Fourth, the servant leader listens to the people and seeks to meet their needs. In the midst of famine and an economy stricken with inflation, the wealthy and those with means saw an opportunity to raise the prices of food and goods, lend money to those in need at exorbitant rates and foreclose on those who could not keep up their payments. Nehemiah heard the complaints of the people and saw the division it was causing among the workers. And the Scripture tells us he became very angry or irate. Why? Because he cared about the needs and concerns of the people. He could have just avoided the conflict altogether but instead he chose to take a great risk and confront the nobles and leaders. He called their action sins against God and their fellow Jews and then challenged them to change their ways. Those men could have turned and just walked away. But Nehemiah realized that the needs of the least and the last were more important than the desires of the elite. Servant leaders look after the needs of their followers because he knew if they’re met then they can reach their full potential and hence perform at their best. Steven Covey writes, "The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served. The best test, and most difficult to administer, is: Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in society? Will they benefit or at least not be further deprived?"
Fifth, a servant leader leads by example. 1 Tim 4:12 “set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” Nehemiah just didn’t call people to work on rebuilding the wall, he was at the forefront of it. Nehemiah never asked and didn’t do, he never waited for his neighbor, his friends, but he trusted God for the calling on his life and he was willing to step out, lead the way, and put the mission of rebuilding the walls first. He always led the way rather than calling people to go first.
When he heard about all the rubble in Jerusalem, he went first to the king, by himself, to get permission to go back to Jerusalem. When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, he went by himself to evaluate the rubble and disrepair of the wall. When he called people to rebuild the walls, he worked right along side them day and night. In fact when the threat of war was looming, Nehemiah slept with his boots on and his weapon by his side. Nehemiah always went first. When God wants us to do great things, he wants us to go first, to step out in faith and lead the way. People will never follow unless you are willing to lead by example and do the very things you are calling them to do.
Senior Chief Randall had a choice. He could have taught the recruits about hypothermia as an abstract theory during a lecture from the comfort of a classroom. Instead, he wanted them to “see” and “feel” the effects of hypothermia, not just hear about it from a sterile classroom. Randall chose to fill the pool with freezing water and then share the experience with his students. Video Clip: The Guardian - Start: Chapter 5 43:54 - Stop: 46:16
Jesus Christ, the greatest teacher, did something very similar. He wanted to teach his disciples about serving others. But instead of just telling them, he showed them. John 13:3 “At the last supper, Jesus “got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he had around him.” Then he said, “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant...” Just as those recruits understood hypothermia by being in the cold water, Jesus knew that we would learn best by watching Him actually serve and experiencing what true service really is. In Nehemiah, it says then "the other workers followed suit." That’s what happens when you lead by example.
Sixth, servant leaders are good stewards. Vs 17 Nehemiah had food provided for him and his court as governor of the region but it was much more than he ever needed. Indeed, as he looked around, he saw starvation spreading throughout the workers as the famine’s impact grew. Rather than hoarding and keeping for himself during times of great shortage, Nehemiah invited a 150 Jews to eat at his table every night and he showed no preference to class, money or nationality. Nehemiah had everybody at the table - blue collar, white collar, no collar. Nehemiah teaches us that servant leaders aren’t driven by money or personal gain, but are motivated by loving people and doing what’s best for them, the mission and the organization. Mahatma Gandhi said, "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." Nehemiah made sure that everyone had enough so they could give God their best when rebuilding the walls.
A servant leader today was Sam Walton. He despised corporate fat cats. He could, and would, handle the cash register as well as stock the shelves in any of his Wal-Mart stores. He drove an old, rusty, dented pickup not to prove a point but because it still had plenty of good mileage left in it. He told his staff on more than one occasion that "if American management is going to say to their workers that we’re all in this together, they’re going to have to stop this foolishness of paying themselves $3 and $4 million bonuses every year and riding around everywhere in limos and corporate jets like they’re so much better than everybody else."
We are all called to be servant leaders. We may not all lead a ministry or task force or new initiative for God but we all have an influence on the people around us. Whether you realize it or not, people are watching you. Your words and your example are having an impact, positive or negative, on the people around you. So as a servant leader, I’m going to ask you a question.
“Who is at your table? Who you do invite to your parties?
Who’s on your list to help grow hope one life at a time?
When was the last time you put other’s needs ahead of your own?
When was the last time you were willing to step out of your comfort zone and set the example? When was the last time you said, "Okay, God, here I am. I’ll step out in faith and go first."
Some of you are still sitting here and God has called you to lead others and influence them for Christ. Well, What are you waiting for? Yesterday is behind you, but today, right now is the best day of your life. Get up, get out, do something, become a servant leader today. The Bible says "greater is he that is in you" and if you said "yes" to Jesus, then God has a great work for you to do for His son’s sake. Are you willing to say to God, " I want to go to the next level. I’m tired of the boring, secure life; I want you to use me for your great purpose." God is calling you right now, to let that leader arise in your life. Aren’t you tired of the predictable, mundane, boring life? God says that when you know that you’ve been called by name, he can do so many awesome things in your life that everything will begin to change. It won’t be easy, but it’s going to be worth it.
Nehemiah teaches us and Jesus gives us a great example of what it means to be a servant leader. He didn’t come to be served or to have perks and privileges, but he came to be a servant and to give his life as a ransom so that others could live.
A popular fable known as "The Last Wish of Horville Sash”. It’s the story of Horville Sash who had a very humble job in the offices of the largest corporation in the world. He worked as a mail clerk in the lowest reaches of the building doing what he could do to help other people with their jobs. Often he wondered what went on the floor just above his, but he never dwelt on it too long. Then came a day when Horville found a bug scurrying across the floor. As the mailroom clerk, Horville had only bugs to command. He raised his foot to flatten the bug when it spoke: "Please don’t kill me," it said. "If you let me live, I’ll give you three wishes." Horville figured that even if he didn’t get the wishes, a talking bug could make him a lot of money. So he let the bug live, and the bug asked him what he wanted for his first wish. "To be promoted to the second floor," said Horville. The next day Horville’s boss came in and told him he would move up to the second floor that very day. Horville was immediately promoted and walked into the second floor like a conquering general, but soon he heard footsteps on the floor above him. He said to the bug, my second wish is to be promoted floor by floor until I reach the very top; until I am in charge of the company. "Done," said the bug, and floor by floor he moved his way through the ranks: 10th floor, 20th floor, 50th floor, 90th floor, and finally to the very top floor. He was as high as he could go: Chairman of the Board; CEO; corner office on the top floor of the building. Then one day he heard footsteps above him. He saw a sign that said: STAIRS. He went up and found a rooftop and there he found one of his clerks near the edge of the building with his eyes closed. "What are you doing?" Horville asked. "Praying," came the answer. "To whom?" Pointing a finger toward the sky the boy answered, "God." Panic gripped Horville. There was a floor above him? He couldn’t see it. All he saw was clouds. He couldn’t hear the shuffling of feet. "Do you mean there is an authority over me?" Horville summoned the bug. It was time for his third and final wish. "Make me God," he said. "Make me the highest. Put me in the kind of position only God would hold if he were here on earth." The very next day Horville Sash awakened to find himself in the basement, sorting the mail, and doing what he could to help others be the best that they could possibly be. For Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant.”
