What kind of man do you think I am?

And I said, "Should such a man as I flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!" – Nehemiah 6v11

Today is just something of a follow-up to yesterday. The taunting and intimidation had continued. They just would not let up. Every morning Nehemiah woke up to find the pressure still there. No there was a spy in the camp, an insider, or joined in trying to get him to quit. ‘Let’s just meet in the temple and lock the doors so they won’t kill you.

Yet Nehemiah would not quit. ‘What kind of man do you think I am? You think I am going to run into the temple to protect myself? No way!’

This is a mark of a true leader. He would not ask his people to do what he would not do. Nehemiah did not believe in leading from the rear. Nothing inspires a people to a task more than seeing their leader right by their side.

True leaders lead by example. True leaders say ‘follow me.’ They don’t say ‘go out and do it.’