Nehemiah’s Leadership Playbook: Altruism (1)

Nehemiah’s Leadership Playbook: Altruism

Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year until the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the governor’s provisions. But the former governors who were before me laid burdens on the people, and took from them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver. Yes, even their servants bore rule over the people, but I did not do so, because of the fear of God. Indeed, I also continued the work on this wall, and we did not buy any land. All my servants were gathered there for the work. – Nehemiah 5:14-16

Another important lesson we can learn from Nehemiah’s leadership example can be seen in the passage above. Sheer altruism.

Perhaps, this is worth rendering in a couple more translations:

From the time King Artaxerxes appointed me as their governor in the land of Judah—from the twentieth to the thirty-second year of his reign, twelve years—neither I nor my brothers used the governor’s food allowance. Governors who had preceded me had oppressed the people by taxing them forty shekels of silver (about a pound) a day for food and wine while their underlings bullied the people unmercifully. But out of fear of God I did none of that. I had work to do; I worked on this wall. All my men were on the job to do the work. We didn’t have time to line our own pockets. – Nehemiah 5:14-16 [The Message]

Here is another translation:

And also, during the whole time that I was appointed to be governor in the land of Judah, neither my brothers nor I ate the food that was allowed for the governor. I never forced the people to pay taxes to buy my food. I was governor from the 20th year until the 32nd year that Artaxerxes was king. I was governor of Judah for twelve years. But the governors who ruled before me made life hard for the people. The governors forced everyone to pay 1 pound[b] of silver. They also made the people give them food and wine. The leaders under these governors also ruled over the people and made life even harder. But I respected and feared God, so I didn’t do things like that. I worked hard at building the wall of Jerusalem. All my men gathered there to work on the wall. We didn’t take any land from anyone. – Nehemiah 5:14-16 [Easy to Read Version]

Also read this:

I was governor of Judah from the twentieth year that Artaxerxes was king until the thirty-second year. And during these entire twelve years, my relatives and I refused to accept the food that I was allowed. Each governor before me had been a burden to the people by making them pay for his food and wine and by demanding forty silver coins a day. Even their officials had been a burden to the people. But I respected God, and I didn’t think it was right to be so hard on them. I spent all my time getting the wall rebuilt and did not buy any property. Everyone working for me did the same thing. – Nehemiah 5:14-16 [Contemporary English Version]

These passages summed up the altruistic nature of Nehemiah, and how the attribute highly influenced his leadership style that made him such a model for any leader to follow. The Oxford Language Dictionary defines altruism as “selfless concern for the well-being of others, without care for one’s own interests.” We will explore in detail how this description played out in Nehemiah’s leadership playbook.

To be continued…

You Will Succeed in Jesus Name!

Also read:

• Nehemiah’s Leadership Playbook: Dealing with Adversaries (3)
• Two Wrongs That Make A Right
• Four Years of Self Harm, Healed by God!