Spirit of Leadership

WHAT IS A TRUE LEADER? purpose, which created an all-consuming passion to restore what he could of the city. His deep passion influenced Artax erxes—who had no real reason to want to rebuild the city of people his nation had conquered—to help Nehemiah fulfill his desire. He provided his cupbearer with safe passage to Jerusalem and even supplied building materials. Nehemiah traveled to Jerusalem and told the Jews living in the region about his vision to rebuild the wall and how King Artaxerxes himself was helping him. His personal commitment to the restoration of Jerusalem inspired the people, and they readily joined him in the work. Nehemiah soon faced bitter opposition from some of the local residents and officials. When Nehemiah’s enemies tried to lure him from the project, he remained focused on his purpose, essentially saying, “I am doing a great work. Why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you?” When he and his fellow-workers were threatened with fear, intimidation, and physical attack, his steadfast ness and belief in their God-given purpose inspired them to hold firmly to the vision and refuse to give way until the task was completed. His leadership was the result of the discov ery of a purpose that produced a vision and deep passion, which influenced an entire population to rally to a cause that benefited the whole nation and changed the course of history. Queen Esther Esther was a beautiful young Hebrew woman, also living in exile, but at a slightly earlier time period. Through an extraordinary set of circumstances, she became the queen of the Persian king Ahasuerus, also known as Xerxes. When

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