WISDOM:
As I read this chapter, I was so impressed with Nehemiah's consistent wisdom throughout the chapter (Frankly, he demonstrates a consistent and impressive depth of wisdom throughout the entire book so far).
Prayer:
I think it shows maturity and wisdom that he prayed at key moments during this chapter.- He prayed right in the middle of his interaction with the king (v. 4), as he was making his request.
- It does not specifically say, but I believe that it is a safe conjecture (based on how frequently he prayed to God in chapter 1) to say that he prayed privately and consistently along their journey to Jerusalem that God would show him how to proceed with his task upon their arrival at Jerusalem. I believe that all of his wise choices stem from regular quiet time with the Lord.
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| Lamentations 3:25-26 |
Careful Forethought:
- None of his decisions were made in haste or rashly. When you read chapter two slowly, you can get a sense of this man's character. He seems to be a man of few words and he seems very methodical and slow to act. I could use more of that in my life! :) I don't make hasty decisions usually, but sometimes I let a situation get the better of me and I act out of emotion rather than wisdom. I don't take the time to pause and reflect on the situation. I even seek God hastily--tossing a quick prayer in His direction (because intellectually I know that's what I'm SUPPOSED to do), then acting before I am certain of what He wants me to do: because I FEEL like the situation demands quick action, and I FEEL like I know what's best. Sometimes these self-determined "wise" decisions come back to haunt me in various ways and I regret my hasty actions.
- BEFORE he even approached the king with the request to go to Jerusalem, he had given careful thought to the specific ways he would need the king's support in the rebuilding of Jerusalem. In vv. 6-8, he asks the king for letters that allow him safe passage on his journey and supplies for the rebuilding; he even anticipates the time frame he will need to accomplish his task. I thought that was impressive. He had visualized the entire journey and probably a large portion of the rebuilding process in order to get a "big picture" of what he would need so that he was prepared when he made his request to the king.
- Upon arrival in Jerusalem, he waited three days before assessing the situation and organizing a long-term plan. That kind of threw me for a loop, because my instinct would be to tell myself, "Okay. We've arrived. Now, finally, I can get this project started." I would have made my assessment as soon as possible and gotten everyone going as soon as possible. I had to ask God why he waited three days. I believe that He showed me why. Everyone would be tired and worn out from so many weeks of travelling. They would need to stop and set up camp, find food, etc. So it made sense that Nehemiah and all of his travelling companions would need some time to settle in before beginning this arduous task. The people probably would have resented him if he had insisted that they get to work right away.
- He stealthily and methodically examines the entire length of the wall, taking just a few men. I found it strikingly odd that he mentions in verse 12 (and repeats it in verse 16) that he has not told anyone of the purpose of his visit to Jerusalem. Apparently the entire company that traveled with him did not know that they were going to be part of a very large long-term project! I can just see him, traveling quietly at night (One of my sources said that he did it at night to avoid detection, which makes sense because verse 10 states that his enemies were "deeply disturbed" when they found out he had come to help the people.), walking slowly around the ruins of the wall and gates, deep in thought as he assesses the situation and his resources. In the military shows I watch, the special ops teams ALWAYS begin their mission with reconnaissance (they call it re-con). They never implement their plan until they have assessed the situation entirely to see if the plan will work or if they need to make adjustments. That is what Nehemiah did.
- AFTER he assesses the situation and designs a plan to bring this project to a successful completion, he mentions his plan to the people. I love how he first brings their attention to the dilapidated state of their precious city, and THEN presents his plan like a suggestion, not a demand. He also tells him that God put it on his heart to do this and wisely tells them that the king gave him permission to rebuild Jerusalem.
He definitely is rarely authoritarian in his leadership style: he is reasonable and fair. He is respected by the large majority of the people. He seems to be a quiet, firm leader. I would like to emulate that leadership style more.
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