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Nehemiah 6:1-4 - Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach remained in it,.... 2 then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, "Come, let us meet together ...." But they were planning to harm me. 3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?" 4 They sent messages to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the same way. NASU
What is a leader to do when confronted with this type of situation? Follow in the footsteps of Nehemiah by refusing to associate with them. If you are going to be a leader you need to realize there are certain people with whom you will not associate. "Bad company corrupts good morals," the apostle Paul said. Nehemiah had three powerful enemies who were trying to get him to stop building the wall and meet with them. They wanted to kill him. Your enemies may not want to kill you but they would like to kill your influence. Stop for a moment and think back over the last five to ten years of all the business, sports or political people who have lost their influence. The cause of their loss of influence may have been they succumb to drugs, fraud, greed or sexual promiscuity. The street smart leader will avoid people who would introduce them to these types of temptations and so should you. Governor DeSantis was invited to be on the TV show The View. He declined. There was nothing good going to come from this meeting so he did what all good leaders do, he refused to attend. He kept working for the people of Florida. I want to say, "Thank you Governor DeSantis for being a great leader".
Nehemiah said, "NO. I can't come down. I am doing a great work." He didn't say this just once he had to say it over and over again. When your enemy attacks you better be prepared to fight more than one battle. You better be focused on your goal. There are going to be times in your life where you are either going to take a stand and say, "NO" or give in and live with the regret. The choice is yours.
There is no doubt in my mind that the reason Nehemiah said, "NO" was he never lost focus of rebuilding the wall. That meant more to him than anything in his life at that time. By rebuilding the wall he was going to once again bring honor and glory to the city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was the city that God chose for the Israelites. What is it that you need to reevaluate at this time? What has been tempting you? What is it that you need to say, "No" too? Are there some people with whom you should not be associating? Think About This: It is easier to judge people by what they fall for than by what they stand for. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word
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1 Sam. 17:32-33 - David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine." 33 Then Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are but a youth while he has been a warrior from his youth." NASU
That is exactly what David is going to do in this text. He is going to go out and fight Goliath. There wasn't one other Israelite soldier willing to do what David was going to not only try, but accomplish. If you want to get to the top of your company or organization it is quite simple "do what no one else wants to do or is willing to do." The soldiers were afraid and fears of all types handicaps people. Don't be afraid. Accept the challenge as David did and move forward. If you want to become the leader of your team then go and do what no one else on your team is willing to try. David becomes a hero because he was willing to step up and step out and accept a challenge. He will later become the king because he was known as a person who got things done.
Identify what it is that everyone is avoiding and go tackle this task. People will ask you, "Why are you doing this?" Some may even tell you to "Quit because you are making them look bad." All I can say is the way to the top is do what others are avoiding.
David was promised riches, the king's daughter's hand in marriage and his family would be free from taxes. All he had to do is accomplish what everyone else was avoiding (fighting and killing Goliath) and that is exactly what he did.
Goliath's great strength was negated because David never got close enough to him so that his strength could be used. Instead David rocked Goliath's world and then he moved in closer. When David gets close Goliath is already defeated. David then takes Goliath's sword and cuts off his head. David did what no other Israelite soldier was willing to try. It won't be too many years from now and David will be in charge of the entire Army and Kingdom of Israel. What unconventional method will you use to accomplish your task? Look outside the box when encountering a new adventure. We all know the definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.
You may be doing the little things already that no one else is willing to do. Many times this will not be a one and done. You may have to do them over and over again. In life you want to do what is right not because you think you will get some reward but because this is the right thing to do. Think About These: A man without principles never draws much interest. It's easier to follow the leader than lead the followers. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word 1 Sam. 24:7-10 - David persuaded his men with these words and did not allow them to rise up against Saul. And Saul arose, left the cave… David arose and went out of the cave and called after Saul, saying, "My lord the king!" And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground …. David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of men, saying, 'Behold, David seeks to harm you'? "Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD had given you today into my hand in the cave, and some said to kill you, but my eye had pity on you; and I said, 'I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD'S anointed.' NASU
When you think of a leader that you know personally I am sure they said something that resonates within your mind from time to time. President Reagan in my mind was a leader and who can forget the influence he had with these words: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" Two years later Mr. Gorbachev had the wall torn down. That my friends is leadership, and that is influence.
Real leaders have a plan they believe in and will stick with it regardless of the opposition. They are not willing to be persuaded to change their plan even by those closest to them when they are fully convinced their plan is correct. David proves to King Saul that other people are lying about him and that he is not the King's enemy. In the cave David cuts off a piece of the king's robe. Then once Saul leaves the cave David goes out and calls to the king. Bowing down before him to show respect he shows him the piece of his robe and says, If I were trying to kill you, you would be dead, but those who say I am your enemy are lying and this proves it. David not only influenced his men he has an influence on King Saul. Look what Saul says, in 1 Sam. 24:16-17 - Then Saul lifted up his voice and wept. He said to David, "You are more righteous than I; for you have dealt well with me, while I have dealt wickedly with you.
Now there isn't any scripture to support my thoughts here and I am not teaching it as truth or doctrine. I am merely speculating when I say I believe David influenced his guys once again when he said, I am going out there and talk with the king. You don't have to agree with me on this point, but at least consider it. Can you hear those men? David you must be crazy. Have you lost your mind? You should have killed him when you had the chance but no you didn't want to do what every other leader would have done. (What about you- Would you have killed King Saul in the cave, if you had been in David's sandals?) Saul wants to kill you. He has brought a 3,000 man army out to find us. We are stuck in a cave with no possible way to escape and you want to go out and speak with the king. He is a certified mad man and you know it. We are all going to die. David, please rethink what you are about to do. Psalm 57 is a prayer of David's while he was in a cave. Was it this cave on this day? I don't know but what I do know is David completely believed God would answer his prayers and rescue him from the caves where he and his men have been hiding. David as I mentioned earlier goes out and addresses the king and the king rides home in shame. This my friends is Non-Traditional leadership at its best. You have a plan and you work that plan regardless of the opposition to that plan.
Think About These: Example isn't the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing. A good leader inspires men to have confidence in him; a great leader inspires them to have confidence in themselves. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Matt. 27:24 - When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd,… NASU
He was trying to say, "I am washing my hands from my responsibility." Pilate was the Governor of Judea at this time. Jesus was brought to Pilate by the Jewish elders and all the chief priests (Matt.27:1-2) because they wanted Pilate to be the one to hand down the death sentence against Jesus.
When a new person became the dealer a knife was passed to him and this showed it was his responsibility to deal. The knife handles in those days were made from deer antlers, hence the name "buck" was derived. When the "buck knife" stopped in front of you it was your responsibility to deal out the cards. The word "knife" was later dropped and it simply became "passing the buck". Pilate tried desperately to escape from this enormous responsibility. He learned Jesus had taught in Galilee so he had Jesus sent to Herod because Herod was in charge of this area (Luke 23:6). Pilate was "passing the buck" on to Herod, but Herod wanted nothing to do with condemning Jesus to death so he sends him back to Pilate.
When Pilate gives them a choice between Barabbas and Jesus the people gathered had been instructed by the elders and chief priests to ask for Barabbas and that is what they did. Pilate receives a message from his wife and it says this: "Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him." Oh, Pilate is going to be in so much trouble. He is not able to free himself from this horrible situation, the condemning of an innocent man, Jesus, and putting to death the Son of God, also Jesus.
President Harry S. Truman made famous the slogan "the buck stops here". In other words, what he was saying is "I am the President, and I am the one responsible for making the final decisions." If you are a leader then you are the one responsible to make the final decisions. Accept your responsibility and please do not try and "pass the buck". Think About These: Responsibility makes just as many cowards out of men as it does successes. Those who shrink from responsibilities keep on shrinking in other ways too. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Exo. 18:13-14 - It came about the next day that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood about Moses from the morning until the evening. Now when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?"
Exo. 18:17-18 - Moses' father-in-law said to him, "The thing that you are doing is not good. "You will surely wear out, both yourself and these people who are with you, for the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone"
Moses will accept the advice of his father-in-law. What about you today? Is your system geared for failure? If you have not surrounded yourself with people you can trust you have already failed as a leader. You cannot build a successful team without trust. A leader doesn't try to do it all. A leader is one who enlists the help of others and they accomplish their goals as a team. Bottom line is they trust each other. Moses still had a job that he was required to achieve.
They passed the ball 40 times and ran the ball 36 times. I'd say they accomplished their game plan. Are you a leader? Are you showing your teammates or co-workers that you trust them?
Moses had a plan but it was horrible one. Moses plan was simple to get up early and work all day while everyone else watches you. Make people stand in long lines in the heat of the day. I don't even like to stand in line at an air-conditioned grocery store. I am one of those guys that would rather go and ring up the items myself then wait in a line. Here was Moses' plan. You bring me your problems and wait your turn in this long line in the heat of the day. Jethro had a better plan for Moses and it was enlist men who can judge over a 1,000 people, 100 people, 50 people, and 10 people. If a person brings a case and they can't answer it they will bring this case to you, Moses. They will bring the hard cases to you. Jethro has a great plan for Moses and Moses is wise enough to implement it. As soon as he found some qualified men.
A Leader will have someone that will speak the truth to him, like Jethro. A Leader will listen to the one who speaks the truth to him. Moses had Jethro, a leader in his own right. He was able to read the situation and determine correctly the outcome. A man like that is extremely valuable to the team or company. Think About These: Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things. - Peter F. Drucker The fellow who does things that count usually doesn't stop to count them. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word |
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