The Request

The Request 

Nehemiah 2:5-8 NKJV

[5] And I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers’ tombs, that I may rebuild it.” [6] Then the king said to me (the queen also sitting beside him), “How long will your journey be? And when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time. [7] Furthermore I said to the king, “If it pleases the king, let letters be given to me for the governors of the region beyond the River, that they must permit me to pass through till I come to Judah, [8] and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he must give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel which pertains to the temple, for the city wall, and for the house that I will occupy.” And the king granted them to me according to the good hand of my God upon me.

     

     Someone says that " Leaders are ladders which others climb to get their desires". Our vignette appear to demonstrate this strongly. It brings to fore the selflessness of Nehemiah. He didn't need to bother himself with the returnees. He was in the King's service.  Selfless leaders do not think like that. A dictionary describes selflessness as disregarding your own advantages over the welfare of others. " If you're selfless, you think less about your self, and more about others — you're generous and kind. Being selfless is similar to being altruistic — another word for giving to others without looking for personal gain. If you give time, money, or things to other people without expecting something in return, that's selfless".

   Nehemiah had opportunity to ask for anything. What would you have asked?  What would an average Politician have asked? What would the average Preacher have asked? Those are rhetorical questions we need to digest before we speak.

   An Ai overview rubs in the details, " A selfless leader prioritizes the needs, well-being, and success of their team and organization above their own personal desires and ambitions. This means making decisions that benefit the collective, even if they might be unpopular or personally challenging. Selfless leaders focus on creating value for others, fostering trust, and inspiring their team to achieve shared goals". These words are deep descriptions of what our nations need all around the globe. 

    When he finally made the request, the house he was to occupy was the last thing. Youll notice he didn't even ask for things for himself. Note also, he was not going back permanently. He was given a time, on leave. This man reminds us of the decision of the Heaven's Divine council to send Jesus. He volunteered to come and be beaten to death,just to save us. What a request? Send me to die....He was born to die for us. Think about that.

    May God give us men. May our generation be the men God will depend on. May more altruistic men arise in our time and in our nations, in Jesus Name. Good morning.