Gloriographs by Rick Reynolds

Now there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish brothers.  (Nehemiah 5:1)

Underlying the strenuous effort of building the wall in 52 days amidst significant opposition, the people were suffering from the lack of food and the usurious business practices of the nobles and rulers who sold it. In some cases they had to mortgage their possessions or enslave themselves or their children in order to eat. (5:3) On top of this was confiscatory Persian taxation and high inflation caused by physically taking this money out of circulation. These conditions had reached a boiling point, and the people including the women let there feelings be known to Nehemiah. Perhaps Nehemiah was so consumed with the wall he failed to recognize the poor working conditions brought about by hunger and poverty. They were dutifully engaged in God’s work but running on empty physically, financially, and emotionally.

Then I was very angry when I had heard their outcry and these words.  (Nehemiah 5:6)

It is pleasing to read that Nehemiah was “very angry” when he heard the people’s complaint. The Hebrew wording indicates that he was “hot.” The same force that drove this man to build the wall was now directed toward solving this insidious problem. When he descended on those who were exacting usury from the people they didn’t know what hit them. In other words, the “jig was up.”

The text says he consulted with himself first, probably a very quick “meeting,” then contended with the nobles and rulers. The sense of the word “contend” could be better described as he immediately “strived” with them (attacked) and assembled the people so they could see the angst in their faces.

Again I said, “The thing which you are doing is not good; should you not walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the nations, our enemies? And likewise I, my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Please, let us leave off this usury. Please, give back to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money and of the grain, the new wine and the oil that you are exacting from them.” (Nehemiah 5:9-11)

The dressing down was a thing to behold. He pointed out that the people responded by coming back to their native land to rebuild the temple and refortify the city and these were the thanks they got. They escaped foreign enslavement only to be again oppressed by their own people! It was indeed better where they came from. Where was the fear of the Lord among these nobles and rulers? Whatever political capital Nehemiah had gained from leading the effort to rebuild the wall he spent. He pleaded with them, courteously I might add, to curtail these activities and give the money back, and they surprisingly agreed.

Then they said, “We will give it back and will require nothing from them; we will do exactly as you say.” So I called the priests and took an oath from them that they would do according to this promise.  (Nehemiah 5:12)

Not totally satisfied, Nehemiah then “shook off” the front of his clothes, which involved “emptying his pockets” in front of the people, a symbolic gesture showing the seriousness of the promise made and the consequences of breaking it, that God would take everything these men had if they reneged.

Here are some leadership “takeaways” from this account.

1. Major “all out” efforts can produce tunnel vision. There will likely be some “fall out.” While Nehemiah and his men were totally consumed with the rebuild, their people were suffering. Good leaders check for “blind spots.”
2. Good leaders listen to their followers. It’s never “my way or the highway.” The “critical mass” is the people you lead.
3. Good leaders need to “own up” to their oversights. These need to be quickly confessed and resolved. Nehemiah immediately reacted when he understood the gravity of the situation.
4. Good leaders are never acerbic (bitter, sarcastic) but are politely forceful. Nehemiah prefaced his demands with the word “please.”
5. Good leaders tie up loose ends, either in writing or with some kind of memorable act.