Now you have stepped into your career and may be wondering how to become a good leader or manager in your career. And guess what? Book of Nehemiah demonstrates some tips for us.
Rule #2: God > We > Me. Nehemiah, as a leader in rebuilding the Jerusalem wall, really teaches us how rule #2 for college and career works. Now let’s take a closer look at how we can use it to apply to our career.
We need to approach to God first no matter what we do in life. Nehemiah showed us a good example. When the King asked him what he requested, Nehemiah prayed to God and then he said he wanted to rebuild the wall for Jerusalem. Before we become a leader in our career, we must ask God to be our leader, because He is the best leader and “if the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that” (James 4:15).
After Nehemiah asked God and King, he said to his people “Let us rise up and build” (Nehemiah 2:18). He did not say “let me” or “let you” rise up and build. Instead, he emphasized let us rise up and build, which means he wanted everyone to be united and build the wall together. So, what does it mean to us today? As a leader, we must have common goal amongst all members so that everybody can focus on the same goal. Though each one’s duty may not be the same, we all collaborate together for the same purpose. And when the work is done, the credit goes to God because the people did the work according to His will.
Nehemiah also showed us how to be a good leader in many ways, and here are a couple:
- Nehemiah knows how to manage and utilize the resources effectively, not only for the work, but also for his people. He requested the king to write letters for him to travel and get timber from the keeper of King’s forest. The king is the best person to write the letters because he has the authority, and King’s forest has the best timbers. Today, we, as leaders, must know which person or group of people is best at working on what. In this way, not only we can the job done quickly by allocating the resources reasonably and productively, we also make each person happy or proud of what they are doing.
- Nehemiah creates the best environment for his people to work. When Nehemiah noticed that their surrounding nations came together and conspired to attack them, they made their prayer to God and set a watch against enemies day and night to protect themselves, so that people can continue to rebuild the wall in one mind.
We should also learn from Nehemiah how he puts himself after God and his people. He fought for his people’s families and lands, yet he did not buy a land for himself when he was the governor. In fact, he hardly thinks of himself at all. He even sent his servants to work on the wall. Today, when we lead, we should put others before ourselves.
Great leaders in the Bible are all following the same rule: God > We > Me; Nehemiah is just one of the examples. Let us learn from him and also be a good leader to glorify God.
We warmly invite you to come to the True Jesus Church’s bi-annual Evangelical Service and Spiritual Convocation. See details below.
18-21 April, 2024 Evangelical Service and Spiritual Convocation
Thursday, 18 April, 2024 6:50PM to 8:10PM
Friday and Saturday, 19-20 April, 2024 9:00AM to 8:10PM
Sunday, 21 April, 2024 9:00AM to 1:00PM
Complimentary lunch and dinner will be served.
Please find our church location below:
4N550 Church Road
Bensenville, IL 60106
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Email us at ilovejesus@tjc-chicago.org
The article reflects on the author’s experiences of living out their Christian faith in the diverse and multicultural workplace of Leicester, highlighting the importance of expressing one’s religious beliefs openly and with integrity. It emphasizes the practical aspects of faith, such as Sabbath-keeping, avoiding gossip, and upholding ethical work practices, to serve as a testament to God’s teachings in daily interactions. Through personal anecdotes and biblical references, the author encourages Christians to be light in the world, maintaining their faithfulness and integrity in the workplace as a witness to the grace and guidance of God.
Since Julius Caesar’s time, “I” has been associated with success, fame and power Veni, Vidi, Vici (“I came, I saw and I conquered”). Today, devices with an “I” anything (i-Phone, i-Pad, etc.) also carry the same kind of draw and prestige. The insistence of “I” time and time again—even with King Solomon who was the wisest of them all– reiterated, time and time again, is out of sync, discordant and in conflict with the will of the Lord. There is no other book in the Bible that uses the word “I” so many times than Ecclesiastes in its earlier chapters. Read on and find out how to deal with the “I”.