Is Your Leadership Expensive or Affordable?

Nehemiah 5:14
Moreover, from the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor.
New Living Translation
For the entire twelve years that I was governor of Judah—from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of the reign of King Artaxerxes—neither I nor my officials drew on our official food allowance.

Nehemiah 5:15
But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that.
Amplified Bible
But the former governors who were [in office] before me put heavy burdens on the people and took food and wine from them in addition to forty shekels of silver [as an excessive monthly salary]; even their servants assumed authority over the people. But I did not do so because of the [reverent] fear of God.

Nehemiah 5:16
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.
Contemporary English Version
I spent all my time getting the wall rebuilt and did not buy any property. Everyone working for me did the same thing.

Nehemiah 5:17
Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations.
New Living Translation
I asked for nothing, even though I regularly fed 150 Jewish officials at my table, besides all the visitors from other lands!

Nehemiah 5:18
Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.
Contemporary English Version
Each day one ox, six of the best sheep, and lots of chickens were prepared. Then every ten days, a large supply of wine was brought in. I knew what a heavy burden this would have been for the people, and so I did not ask for my food allowance as governor.

Taxes collected from the people are used to facilitate government operations, including paying leaders and making them comfortable. Sometimes leadership can be very expensive for the taxpayer. Is your leadership expensive or affordable?

When groups come together to champion a certain course, they elect leaders. These leaders sacrifice a lot to help the group achieve its goals. As time passes by, it becomes wise to remunerate those leaders since they have already made so many sacrifices. Is that remuneration affordable to the group? Is your leadership expensive or affordable?

Churches and other religious organizations collect tithes and offerings for operations. Some of the operations include paying the workers. Are those workers expensive or affordable? Is your leadership expensive or affordable?

At a time when the majority of the people are struggling with austerity measures, are the leaders sensitive? Are the leaders sensitive enough to avoid excesses that make a mockery of the sacrifices that others are making to support them? Are the leaders living large with luxuries they do not need as the people languish in poverty? Are the leaders eating three square meals while those under them cannot afford one meal? Is your leadership expensive or affordable?

Even if the little pay the leader gets may not make a big difference if shared with everyone else, it is important to show solidarity with the majority below who support the few who are up. Showing that we understand and care is the hallmark of leadership. Splashing luxuries and excesses is contrary to a good sense of leadership. Is your leadership expensive or affordable?

Nehemiah in our text today tells us that he refused to take the food allowance that was allocated to the governor’s office because the people were poor. Together with other officials, they refused that particular allowance because it would be an excess yet the people providing it were going hungry. Taking that allowance would be immorality!

Nehemiah 5:15 tells us that other governors took a lot of allowances from the poor masses. Other governors lived a very comfortable life at the expense of the people they led. Other governors did not sympathize with people who were supporting them materially. Nehemiah says, he did not accept the rightfully due allowances because he feared God.

Nehemiah 5:16 tells us that he worked so hard as governor as they built a wall around Jerusalem. Other governors used the leadership position to acquire land for themselves. Nehemiah tells us that neither he nor his servants acquired land in the process of working. They were not corrupt. Why does he mention other servants? Because other governors would want to look like they are not corrupt, yet they are acquiring wealth through their servants and registering it under other names. Nehemiah tells us that neither he nor his servants acquired land during his tenure as a governor.

Nehemiah 5:16 tells us that during the construction of the wall, Nehemiah and his servants did not acquire land. Why does he mention it during the construction of the wall? It is because a lot of corrupt activities take place during the implementation of projects. Projects become a cover-up for some people to exaggerate figures and acquire wealth for themselves. Nehemiah tells us that during the construction of the wall, he and his servants did not acquire land!

Nehemiah 5:17-18 tells us that Nehemiah used his own resources to feed official guests while he was governor. He never demanded compensation for doing this. Not because compensation is a bad thing but because the nation couldn’t afford to give him that luxury at that time. He did not want to be an expensive leader. Is your leadership expensive or affordable?

Dear God, forgive us for using our leadership position to exploit those who support us from beneath. Forgive us for living large while those who labor below us are straining to survive. Forgive us for being expensive leaders. Give us the spirit like that of Nehemiah in our leadership, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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