Nehemiah
gave Hanani and Hananiah charge over the city. Hanani was his brother and
already well known for his faithfulness. Hananiah was a man of experience for
he was “ruler of the palace,” one in charge of the palace, and therefore,
well-qualified to be a governor of Jerusalem. It is said that Hananiah was a
faithful man who feared God. They are the qualifying traits that made him stand
out above the rest of the men in Jerusalem. Hananiah evidently had leadership
and administrative ability, being the “ruler of the palace,” but the reason he
was appointed was the spiritual virtue of faithfulness and that he feared God.
A
governor’s job made him open to many temptations. He could easily become a
corrupt officer. Nehemiah needed to select men who were trustworthy and had
integrity. Hananiah’s faithfulness and fear of God made him an excellent choice
for the work that needed to be done.
To
"fear God" means that one has enough respect for God. And
“faithfulness” means trustworthiness. Faithful people can
be trusted to carry out their work. Those who fear the Lord can be expected to
keep God's commandments in mind and avoid temptations. The enemies had not
stopped harassing the Jews and Nehemiah knew it. Without qualified leaders, all
would be lost. Therefore, Nehemiah chose men who would not waver in their
conviction.
What
do you look for in a church leader? Paul answers: “It is required in
stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2). The Apostle is
referring to the ministers of Christ; those whom God has appointed to act as
officers in His churches. Other virtues are desirable, but fidelity is imperative.
No matter how gifted a man may be, if he is not faithful, he is not useful to
the services of God. Faithfulness includes being reliable, steadfast, loyal,
honest, devoted, and unwavering.
Many
are talented but few are faithful and fear God. The Lord’s church need
qualified men to be leaders. When Moses was selecting rulers to judge Israel,
he chose men who met certain qualifications. They were not only able (capable),
but men who “fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness" (Exodus
18:21).
How
did Hananiah earn that good reputation? It came about through years of training
and preparation. He had been aligning his life to the commandments of God. His
faithfulness and fear of God could be seen by all men.
Once,
I told a group of young men and women this: “Tomorrow’s leaders are made
today.” It takes years to groom an elder of the church. A church does not
select any man to be an elder and hopes he grows in his knowledge and
spirituality; it doesn’t work that way. A man is chosen because he has already
met the qualifications (1 Timothy 3:1-7). Hence, I told the group of young men
that if they are concerned for the future of the church, they must aspire to
become the future elders and the preparation starts today: “Let no man
despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in
conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).
How
can one lead another if he doesn't walk worthily himself? He can't! That's why
God requires qualified leaders; leaders that will walk with Him. Nehemiah
needed men of character whom he could trust; men who would not take bribes, who
were committed to the welfare of the people, and who would uphold the integrity
of the office, and most importantly, men who feared God.
Are
you faithful? Do you fear God? The future of God’s kingdom lies in today’s
young men and women. We pray they will be like Hananiah.
Jimmy Lau
Psa
119:97 Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
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