SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION: A STUDY OF TRANSFORMATION STRATEGIES FROM THE LIFE OF NEHEMIAH

2008-06-23 18:10:24

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Ms. Rualzamawii[1]

 

The Student Christian Movement of India is very much concerned about the leadership training to encourage students and youth in transforming the Church and the society. Many people may think themselves as leaders, when they hold any post in the church and society or in any organisation. But real leadership is proven in adversity, in working through tough problems and painful situations. When tough times come, many leaders would find themselves that they fall apart, distress and worry. But, real leadership reflects in the way they face these problems, rather challenges. We have a great example of leadership from the Bible, in the person of Nehemiah, who was a proven leader to transform the society.

 

Nehemiah, in Hebrew means, “Yahweh Comforts”, son of Hilkiah, Butler or Cupbearer of Artexerxea, King of Persia (Neh. 2:1). He was among the exile to Babylon and also the Governor of Judah. He held a trusted position in the Persian Palace (2:8). In his position as a cupbrere, Nehemiah had a very close contact with the King. Even though he was in a secure position at the king’s palace, his heart and mmind was still with his own people’s sufferings in the exile. One day, one of his brothers came from Judah with some other men. Nehemiah questioned about the Jewish remnant that survived the exile and also about Jerusalem. They say to him that those who survived in the exile are back in the province and were in deep trouble and disgrace and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates have been burnt with great fire. When he heard these things, Nehemiah sat down and wept, he mourned and fasted for some days and poured his heart to Gos. He was deeply grieved about the condition of Jerusalem, but he did not just brood about it, he looked for ways to improve the situations. So, he prepared himself to revive the people and rebuild the wall of Jerusalem.

 

One day, while he was serving the king’s dinner, he found an occasion to tell the king that he was unhappy because of the condition of Jerusalem. The king granted his request to go and rebuild it and gave him a letter of recommendation to the Persian Governor of the territory. He left a secure position in the government of Persia to return to his homeland and to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He succeeded too, in spite of the incredible obstacles and opposition. Here, I wanted to mention in brief that on what was we have to learn social transformation from the life of Nehemiah.

 

Firstly, Nehemiah was a man of prayer. He earnestly prays for the success about the matters for months before asking for help. God answers his prayers and the kind granted his request. Nehemiah did not pray for his own benefit, instead, he poured out his heart for his people. He confessed the sins of his people, including his own sinfulness that they may have committed against God (1:6). He interceded for the whole community.

 

Secondly, Nehemiah was a hard-working man. As soon as he reached Jerusalem, he first rounded the walls at night, surveying all the damaged and examined their conditions. He outlined his plans to people (2:12-16). He convinced the leaders of Jerusalem community of the necessity of fortification. Nehemiah had a vision and shared it with enthusiasm, inspiring Jerusalem’s leaders to rebuild the walls and gain their support. He organised a building programme in which the people of all types participated (2:11-3:32). When opponents tried to stop the work, he presented the matter to God, but at the same time made arrangements to strengthen the defence of the city (4:1-23). He put all his resources of knowledge, experience and organisations into determining what should be done. So, within 52 days, they completed the work. Nothing can stop him from his work. He did not leave the works on the hands of others; rather, he prepared and planned to work for his own people.

 

Thirdly, Nehemiah was a man of a very forceful character, who had the ability to motivate the people. He was a great organiser and leader. He convinced the king in sharing his sadness about his own people and the wall of Jerusalem and the king responded by giving him authority, materials and finance to go to Jerusalem to repair the city and rebuilds its walls.

 

Finally, Nehemiah was not ashamed to admit his fear (2:3), but he refused to allow this fear to stop him from doing what God had called him to do. When he was attacked personally, his enemies from outside tried by various means to stop the work, but he refused to give in to fear and also refused to flee to the Temple.

 

So, as SCMers, we are the future leaders, called to transform the society, we must have learnt from the life of Nehemiah, his strategies and skills, to change the society. As leaders, we sometimes underestimate people and don’t challenge them with our dreams for God’s work in the world. When God plans an idea in our minds, to accomplish something from him, share it with others and trust the Holy Spirit to impress them with similar thought. Don’t see yourself as the only one through whom God is working. God often uses one person to express the vision and the other to turn into reality. When we encourage and inspire others, we should put into action to accomplish God’s goal.

 

As SCMers, we often dream of leadership as glory and praise, but we tend to forget about the turmoil and difficulty that leadership comes with. God uses men and women, who show the same tenacity that Nehemiah had. Nehemiah also acted decisively to stop the rich in Jerusalem from taking advantage of the poor. He rebukes the landlords and persuaded them to lend money without interest. Earlier, governors were placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded over the people. But out of reverence for God, Nehemiah did not act like that (5:15, 16). Instead, he devoted himself to the work on the wall. He did not even get hold of any land.

 

Let us now examine ourselves that we can be a leader like Nehemiah, who prayed all the time to God, on behalf of his people.  He was always committed to God and faithful to his work, professions. Like Nehemiah, we are here in this earth to work for others, not for our own benefit. We can pour out and share our heart to God, and even to our own fellow human beings, so that God will answer our prayers and bless our commitment. The Bible says, “The eyes of the Lord searches the whole earth in order to strengthen whose hearts are fully committed to him”. God’s eyes are upon those who are willing to obey his commands and strengthen with the power of the Holy Spirit.