Is integrity evident in your actions? (119-3)

Leaders’ integrity is always demonstrated best through their actions. Read Nehemiah 5:14-19.

Nehemiah was appointed governor of Judah and served for approximately 12 years before being recalled for service to King Artaxerxes in Babylon. As governor he was supported in part by taxation. Each family delivered part of a standard allotment of wine, livestock and grain due the governor to feed him, his family and the governor’s staff. Earlier governors had not only taken all their food and wine allotment but had placed an additional financial tax of silver on each family. As almost always happens, when power is abused by a leader, the assistants also took liberties to abuse their power over the people as well.

Nehemiah, “out of reverence for God” (v. 15) did not burden his team. According to verse 16, “Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land.” Nehemiah was a wealthy man so it seems fair to say he was not above receiving payment for his services. However, rather than taking all he had coming to him, Nehemiah considered the impact on the team more important than his own rights as governor. The start-up work in Jerusalem and surrounding Jewish communities was difficult. Taxation at this moment would harm the project of successfully resettling the land. The simple definition of integrity of a leader is that their actions match their words. Nehemiah’s personal actions as a leader validated his words about his concern for Jerusalem and the Jewish people he led even when those actions required personal financial sacrifice.

Christian leaders with understanding evaluate all the project’s needs and the team’s needs and out of reverence to God do what is right for the project and their team before they receive excessive executive perks. Their action to function in this way will create an environment on their team that matches their commitments.

Proverbs 11:24-25tlb “It is possible to give away and become richer! It is also possible to hold on too tightly and lose everything. Yes, the liberal man shall be rich! By watering others, he waters himself.”