“But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you.” (Luke 14:28–29)
Making sense with dollars is a basic task of any leader. Very few projects are accomplished without an outlay of cash. And when cash starts to flow, wisdom, honesty, self-control, accountability, and intelligent, realistic planning must prevail. Even Jesus addressed the importance of financial planning. To our Lord, careful money management is not considered an optional luxury. It is an essential ingredient in the lives of those in leadership.
The book of Nehemiah illustrates nearly every major principle of leadership. We shouldn’t be surprised to find that Nehemiah faced the money issue. A strike occurred among the labourers who had been building the Jerusalem wall. They probably didn’t picket the site by carrying hand-painted signs and blocking traffic, but they stopped working and started grumbling about their conditions. Nehemiah, like a good leader, sized up the situation as he listened to their gripes:
- some had large families without enough to eat; (see Nehemiah 5:2)
- others owned property, yet had to mortgage their homes and property because of the spiralling inflation problem; (see 5:3)
- still others were heavily in debt, unable to pay back what they owed. (see 5:4–5)
Nehemiah was angry because the people had forgotten the Mosaic law. God’s law gave the Jews standards for living a just and godly life as a family. However, the chosen nation barely held together in Nehemiah’s day because the people failed to follow instructions. Ironically, the very nobles who wanted the wall built were undermining the process by enslaving their brothers.
“Then I was very angry when I had heard their outcry and these words” (5:6 NASB). But notice the next verse. I love this: “So I thought it over” (Nehemiah 5:7 NASB). Aren’t you glad that’s in there? Yes, he got mad, but he thought before he spoke. In those moments of self-consultation, God was able to speak to Nehemiah about what to say next. Self-control is a virtue the leader cannot afford to be without.
Nehemiah, when very angry, found a way to cool down. He consulted with himself and listened to God’s voice. That’s the very best thing to do when you get mad. You need to have a quiet place where you can lay all the emotions of your soul before God. Nobody hears but God. Marvelous therapy comes from sharing with God the hurt and the anger as you “consult with yourself,” before you face the situation head-on.
