Is God looking for wall builders?
We have a leadership crisis in America.
The lack of leadership in our families, our cities, and our nation must be among the worst in our almost 250 year history. We are not in a good place, and it manifests on every level.
Pew Research tell us that America ranks number one in the world as it relates to fatherless children. That is 18.3 million children who live without a father in the home, comprising about 1 in 4 U.S. children who are searching for identity in their lives. In addition, more than ever before, organizations from churches, governments, and major companies, need an infusion of vision and stability.
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Where are the humble leaders, who are secure in their identities and can lead us through the minefields of this crisis to save our national soul?
The protective walls around us are broken down. American culture is sinking deeper into the muck and mire of immorality — polluting the hearts and minds of our next generation. All we need is for China to call up our national debt, sending the dollar into free fall and our economy into an inflationary tailspin, or for the rule of law to be further undermined to the point where no one respects the government, the courts, or local officials, further plunging us into chaos.
The problem is that most of us, even as believers in Jesus Christ, don’t understand the times and realize we are in a war for our nation’s soul.
The life of the average American and even those in leadership in our country is one of mediocrity and complacency.
Yet, the Word of God compels us to be difference-makers in our world. Jesus called us “light and salt” (Matthew 5:13-14). He said that we are a “city that is set on a hill” (Matthew 5:14). We can be nation-changers who walk in the favor of God and motivate people to follow us.
An example of leadership
Today in these challenging days, there stands one biblical leader whose life speaks volumes to us here in the 21st century. He knew who He was — secure, passionate, and who acted on the call of God in his life.
His life is such an important case study for any great leader who wants practical wisdom and understanding for any challenge.
His name is Nehemiah — the wall-builder.
As I study the powerful story of Nehemiah, I can’t help but compare it to our nation — our defenses are down, our walls have been destroyed, our national moral compass has crumbled, and we have no leadership on the horizon to help fix it. We are just wandering through life, just living for the moment, instead of living to make a difference.
Although Nehemiah’s story is one that most modern Christians haven’t read, the parallels between his time and our time are staggering. His people had been taken into captivity by a foreign king and only a small remnant of the people was willing to leave their comfortable captivity to rebuild the beautiful city of Jerusalem.
Nehemiah was the bold leader of this courageous, yet weak people; willing to toil in a hard place for a great reward.
Where are the Nehemiahs today?
Where are the people who are going to live their lives in humility, faith, and God’s wisdom and use their gifts for the Kingdom of God in their modern culture?
Where are the people who will hear the call of God to rebuild the broken-down walls of our nation and our culture?
Nehemiah was one of those godly leaders who worked against the odds and won.
He was a man of prayer who gave himself completely to the work of the Lord. His life and story can impact our lives as leaders if we invest the time and heed the principles demonstrated through his practical relationship with God. He was a leader that we can emulate. He made an impact on his world, and we, too, can rebuild the walls around us.
God is not done with the United States. There is a spiritual harvest to come — more of our fellow citizens need to know Christ. Our call is to be the Nehemiahs of this generation through our perseverance. We must dig deep into the Word of God and allow God to mold us into the leaders He desires.
Bunni Pounds, the founder and President of Christians Engaged (www.christiansengaged.org), is a Bible teacher who ran for Congress in 2018. She believes the Church is the answer to every problem in our society.
