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Opinions of Wednesday, 25 July 2018

Columnist: Dag Heward-Mills

Why leaders build houses

Dag Heward-Mills Dag Heward-Mills

Most of us do not understand what the word 'real estate' really means. There are many unreal estates. These unreal estates can collapse overnight and turn a wealthy man into a pauper. When people have little money they often do not know what to do with it. They often put it in the wrong place. Most people do the wrong things with the money that they have. The good and real estate on this earth is property. Therefore, building houses is investing in real estate.

Leaders build houses because they use what God has provided for them.

God has provided for everyone. He has provided something for you and with that you will be able to accomplish something for yourself. Instead of continuously fretting and concerning yourself with what you do not have, look around and see what God has given you. Then use what He has given you profitably. He may not have given you what He has given others. But He has given you something! And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

Genesis 1:29

Leaders build houses because they have the humility to build slowly like the man who built on a rock.

Obviously, building on sand would be much quicker than building on a rock. In fact, it would take a long time to build a foundation on a rock. Proper construction takes a long time. A good leader is prepared to spend a long time building houses. You must not expect things to be completed in a short time.

He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

Luke 6:48 There is a type of man who simply wants to rent a house now. He does not want to roll up his sleeves and build anything. He wants to look successful and accomplished today. Looking successful, accomplished and settled costs people true prosperity. The price of looking successful and accomplished quickly is often the price of a house.

Leaders build houses because they are pragmatic.

You need to be realistic and do what you can do at any moment. A leader is able to rise, step by step, on the property ladder. Most people who wait for the “ideal” never enter into the “real”. A leader is able to determine what is practical at any point in time.

Those who were REBUILDING the wall and those who carried burdens took their load WITH ONE HAND DOING THE WORK AND THE OTHER HOLDING A WEAPON.

Nehemiah 4:17, NASB

You will never have the money that you really need. Most people will never really be able to employ a contractor. Many people will have to fight the problems of life and build a house at the same time. If you are waiting for a good time when everything is okay and money is flowing you may never build anything. Nehemiah had to fight and build at the same time. Nehemiah was a pragmatic leader! Be a pragmatic leader!

Leaders build houses because they are able to work for long hours.

Nehemiah worked for long hours. Many good leaders work for long hours. The principle is the same. If you sow seeds for many hours you would have sown many more seeds than someone who sowed for a few hours. Obviously, you will reap much more by working longer hours. Good leaders work for long hours and this enables them to build houses. Nehemiah built the wall from dawn until the stars appeared.

SO WE LABOURED IN THE WORK: AND HALF OF THEM HELD THE SPEARS FROM THE RISING OF THE MORNING TILL THE STARS APPEARED.

Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let everyone with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day. So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, NONE OF US PUT OFF OUR CLOTHES, SAVING THAT EVERY ONE PUT THEM OFF FOR WASHING.

Nehemiah 4:21-23

Nehemiah, who built the walls of Jerusalem, deployed the principle of doing many jobs at the same time. Many good leaders do several jobs at the same time. Nehemiah, who built Jerusalem, worked in the day as well as in the night. Working in the day as well as in the night enables you to sow important seeds that will bear fruit. The seeds sown in the day and the seeds sown in the night will combine to give you a mighty harvest. It is this harvest that will be used to build a great house. May you be a leader who builds great houses!

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