“Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for its services! … Remember me, O my God, for good!”
Nehemiah 13:14, 31 NKJV
As I train new leaders and interpreters, one thing I always talk about leading from our “why” with legacy in mind. I believe everyone should have a mission statement or a “why”. What do I want to be remembered for? If I die tomorrow – or win the lottery – what would be said? For my work world, mine “why” or my mission is to leave people better than I found them. Words and actions have power – and in a world where comparison is rampant and people are told they’re not good enough by media, I want to be a voice of truth: each person I encounter is a unique and wonderful individual made by the hand of a loving G-d. It’s my frame of reference for interactions and the driver to conversations – the good ones, and the hard ones. I can only be responsible for my actions and reactions – how they respond and work and live is up to them.
In today’s passage, the Wall has been completed and dedicated and assignments were made for the oversight. Then Nehemiah left to return to his duty, and when he returned sometime later, he discovered things out of order. The storeroom was used for the wrong purposes, provisions were withheld, and the Levite’s had to return to the fields.
I imagine Nehemiah felt frustration and disappointment I’ve been there – you issue an ask you think is clear, trusting someone to do their part to carry out the “ask”, only to find out things didn’t go according to plan.
When that happens, how do we as leaders and believers respond?
Like Nehemiah, we right the wrong and restore things to order (13:11), then we trust Him with the outcome (13:14, 31). Author Berne Brown says to be clear is to be kind. We can confront in love. We can hold up truth as a standard and maintain integrity – doing so takes courage and conviction. At work, policies and procedures are my guides, but the one thing that eclipses everything else is the Word of G-d. When my actions and deeds fall short, His Spirit convicts and I realign. And when I walk in obedience to Him above all else, I can stop worrying about others and what they do and don’t do and focus instead on who He is, knowing that He will remember me for good.
Father – thank You for Your Word and for accepting me. Thank You for making a way for me. You are good and You keep doing good. Your leadership in my life is perfect and You can be trusted. Amen.
Daily Reading: Nehemiah 11-13, Psalms 126
September 29, 2022