3. Inform the people of God’s favor.
The people could have easily rejected Nehemiah’s vision by saying, “We’ve tried that before and it didn’t work.” In Ezra 4, King Artaxerxes commanded the people to stop rebuilding the city.
One failed attempt could have easily overshadowed all future attempts. But Nehemiah saw the potential behind the problem. Nehemiah 2:18 says, “Then I told them about how the gracious hand of God had been on me, and about my conversation with the king. They replied at once, ‘Yes, let’s rebuild the wall!’ So they began the good work.”
Nehemiah’s vision was legitimate because its origin was found in God. The same King who commanded the rebuilding to stop gave Nehemiah permission to build again. Nehemiah was wise enough to point to God’s favor on the dream.
Lesson: Dreams that inspire followers have a spiritual lineage that traces back to God. It’s a God idea, not just a good idea.
4. Include the people in the work.
Finally, Nehemiah created an opportunity for everyone to serve their city. The entire third chapter of the book of Nehemiah describes the role everybody assumed in rebuilding the wall. To inspire people to follow requires opportunities for people to serve.
Lesson: People aren’t inspired by what I can do, but what WE can do.
Question: What else is essential to inspiring people to follow?
