Issue #87, August 1, 2012
The people clapped and celebrated, a wall was in place! The dream had become a reality, and a wall had been built. But Nehemiah’s vision did more than build a wall; like all servant leaders he built the people who worked to accomplish the vision. At the end of the project the people of Jerusalem had a very different belief system than before he arrived. What can we learn about the transformation that happens in people as servant leaders carry out God’s vision?
Visions allow people to believe in themselves.
When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem a poll of citizens would surely have revealed that they had little confidence that they could rebuild the wall. They were convinced that it was a task too large for them to complete. But now, they can see the wall! Imagine them giving high fives and saying together, “We did it!” People are built as leaders believe in them and say to them by word and action “You can do this.”
Servant leaders encourage people to believe that as they act on God’s purposes, they can do much more than they ever dreamed before. Servant leaders stretch people’s imaginations, not in self-exaltation but by recognizing God’s potential in each one. They believe in people because God believes in them and has empowered them to accomplish great things. When one vision is successfully accomplished people can believe God for more and are ready for a greater challenge.
Visions encourage people to believe in their leaders.
When leaders like Nehemiah guide the process of achieving a great vision, people’s faith in godly leadership is enlarged. Servant leaders allow this, not for their own ego, but to build a foundation of trust for future leaders. Ezra’s faithful leadership laid a good foundation for trust in Nehemiah’s leadership. As Nehemiah led well, trust was increased.
Servant leaders view their leadership as a sacred trust knowing that as they lead well, God can do even more in the future through their own leadership and through their successors. Conversely, if they misuse the trust of others, the next leader will have an even more difficult task. They encourage and earn trust, humbly recognizing that God plans for leaders and followers to work as a team to accomplish His vision.
Visions inspire people to believe in their God.
The wall was a physical testimony of God’s power and victory and the people were inspired with an increased faith in God. After all, the vision is from Him, for Him and accomplished through Him. When the vision was accomplished the people recognized in a deeper way the love and concern God had for them and their world. They recognized that He was actively involved in helping them accomplish the goal. This faith prepared them to take further steps of obedience recorded in the rest of the book of Nehemiah.
Servant leaders recognize that vision is ultimately not about themselves, not about leadership, and not about a wall. Rather, they recognize that vision is about moving a step closer to the world as God intends for it to be. They acknowledge that it is more than their own leadership skill that brings the vision to completion. Their leadership is only a tool to bring people closer to God and to believe in His plan for their lives. All servant leaders say with Isaiah, “All that we have accomplished you have done for us.” (Isaiah 26:12) They celebrate the achievement of one vision because it prepares people to believe God for the next one.
For further reflection and discussion:
- Am I more concerned about my vision or the people that I am working with to carry out the vision? Do I see them as gifted and called by God for great things, or simply as objects to achieve my vision?
- How does what happened under previous leaders impact people’s willingness to trust my leadership? Is my leadership inspiring people to a greater trust in leaders?
- How quickly do I point people to God as the object of praise when the vision is accomplished? Do I seek to take credit for what was accomplished?