I got miserably stuck in a rut once. It was no fun. In fact, it was kind of terrifying. Night had already fallen as I climbed out of my bow hunting stand. My car was parked a few miles from anything that resembled civilization on an old abandoned logging road. I jumped in and started driving back toward a paved road, looking forward to a relaxing evening at home. Then it happened. I got miserably stuck.
I distinctly remember feeling helpless. With limited tools at my disposal, I wondered how I was going to get out. I’m not an extremely extroverted kind of person. But, if there would have been some headlights coming my way, I would have done a touchdown dance right then and there! Boy did I need help.
NEHEMIAH: The AAA Roadside Service Truck Sent from God
Jerusalem’s walls were still in shambles even after over 120 years. Though some of the returning remnant had rebuilt the temple, the people of Israel were still extremely stuck, making no progress toward redeeming and restoring their land and reputation for God. What’s worse? They didn’t seem to know or care.
All of that changed when Nehemiah arrived on the scene. God had called him to be His AAA Roadside Service Truck to help them get unstuck, and on with their mission. It wasn’t a mission Nehemiah had chosen for himself. It was chosen for him. Now it was time to convince the people to join God in the rebuilding and restoring work he wanted to do in and through them. In my last post, I noted three of the 6 Ways he got “vision-buy-in” (Click here if you missed this post) to help the people move forward. Here are the last three.
# 4 – Tell Your “God-Story”
It’s not prideful to do so. The epitome of pride is if you don’t. Many are hesitant to share their “God-stories” because they falsely believe that it would be prideful to do so. It all depends on the motive. If your desire is to make God famous and to inspire others to follow Him, His ways, and the projects that He is orchestrating for the sake of His kingdom, then you must tell others about:
- The burden and visions He has laid on your heart
- The ways He has spoken to you through His Word, His Spirit, other godly people and divine circumstances
- The obstacles that He has overcome and the hurdles He has enabled you to jump.
- The incredible answers to prayer and the provisions He has given you for the assigned mission
There’s a reason why God has worked in and through your life as He has. Not to share your vision and the ways He has worked would be self-serving and disobedient, if it means that others may be left stuck in their ruts.
When the timing was right, Nehemiah told his God-story, and it yanked God’s people out of their rut.
“I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me.” (Nehemiah 2:19)
The verse above doesn’t give all the details of Nehemiah’s vision casting speech. I can imagine, however, that it included how God had given it to him through his time of prayer (Neh. 1:4-10), how God had helped him overcome his fears in asking King Artaxerxes to be released from his cup-bearing duties (Neh. 2:1-6), and how God had even provided for the construction supplies and costs through the king’s personal resources (Neh. 2:8-10).
Such God stories inspire people. They bring hope, inspiring the belief that God could do the same in their lives. When people see that God is doing a great work, they are often stirred to join Him, both with their hands and their resources.
Nehemiah’s God-story, vision casting speech did just that.
#5 Have Skin in the Game
No one will follow you or your vision if you are not fully vested. In the process of telling his story, it would have become evident to everyone listening how much Nehemiah was risking to do what God was asking.
If he failed, his reputation would have been lost. Further, his failure would have reflected poorly on King Artaxerxes’ reputation. That would have meant not only losing his reputation, but most likely his posh position in the palace, and perhaps even his life.
What’s truly remarkable about Nehemiah’s commitment is that he did not know anyone in Jerusalem. He painstakingly traveled for four months to get to Jerusalem–with everything to lose–not having any indication that the elders and rulers would believe his story or want to have anything to do with the rebuilding project. No one could say that Nehemiah didn’t have an “all-in” kind of investment.
I believe this gave him an immediate aura of moral authority that contagiously compelled others to perform a touchdown dance as they committed to this God-mission.
# 6 – Confidently Call Others to “Rebuild”
“Come, let us rebuild… The God of heaven will give us success. We His servants will start rebuilding…” (Nehemiah 2:17, 19)
Who wouldn’t want to follow a confident, vision leader like that?
Questions to Help You in Your Leadership
- In what ways do you think those in your sphere of influence might be stuck?
- What is the vision/burden that God has laid on your heart?
- What are some of the “God-stories” that have helped shape your life? How do they relate to the vision/mission God has given you? How can you be sharing those stories to inspire others to join you in your vision/mission?
- What have you risked to follow God’s vision / mission for your life? What else are you wiling to risk if He asks you to?
- How are you confidently calling others to “build the kingdom of God? ” even in the face of opposition?