The Sacrifice of Leadership

Nehemiah had a problem with his workers. They were suffering because a famine had caused a food shortage. Additionally, they had mortgaged their properties to wealthier Jews, who were charging them interest, and they had sold some of their own children into servitude just so they could pay the King’s taxes. Selling children was an accepted practice among Jews, however, every seven years all the servants were set free.

Knowing this, the wealthier Jews were buying up Jewish servants and selling them to the “nations”… gentile nations. Thus, they could get a better price because they would not have to be returned at the arrival of the sabbatical year (a seventh year cycle).

So the workers had a great burden, the burden of taking time off to build the wall and facing the danger of attack from foreigners and the burden that their own countrymen were placing on them.

Nehemiah had a big problem… his workers were dejected and impoverished.

How did he address this? First, he called a big meeting and publicly accused the wealthy Jews of the sins of usury (charging interest) and selling Jewish slaves to Gentile nations.

Then, he used himself as a positive example; he had been loaning money with no interest to the impoverished Jews and he was purchasing back Jewish slaves who had been sold to Gentile nations.

In addition, to further illustrate his concern for the Jews, in his position as a Governor, he did not take the food allowance that King Artaxerxes had authorized, which amounted to one ox, six sheep and whatever poultry he might need every day.

Nehemiah had made huge sacrifices for the people. Ultimately he resolved the issues of the impoverished Jews and he corrected the sinful behavior of the wealthy Jews. His reward was that he had happier more productive workers and God was happy with a nation that was made more righteous through effective leadership.

Leadership sacrifices itself not its people.

I read an article the other day that the most profitable Veterinary clinics also had the highest payrolls. The article said that happy workers are more productive workers. We’re about to find out at Tejas.