Excellence Through Adversity

When  Mordeccai wrote to Esther that  God  mightand children refuse to heed. These are all
have placed  her in a unique  position perhaps "For amanifestations of a malady that is far deeper than the
time like this",  he declared an important Biblicalsymptoms. And the same is the reason why in
principle: God 's children pass  through one spiritualincreasing number of young people are now saying
crisis or other in each generation (or even in each daygoodbye to sound principles of living and adopting the
of their lives). This might lead many of them tofatal outlook of  "if it feels good, then JUST DO IT !!".
disappointment or even bitterness,  but God  desiresThe  Role of Leaders
that His children rise to the occasion, and  play To many Christians "Leadership" seems more to be a
important roles -- exactly  in  times like these !social or political concept than a spiritual idea. However,
As we write these lines we are very much consciousthe Scriptures point out that leadership is basically a
that  world as a whole,  and the church of Godspiritual concept, affecting all areas of life. Further,
here  in particular, are passing through unparalleledwhen taken in the biblical sense, EVERY person
crisis: social, political, and spiritual. Evil elements continuewhether king or pauper, scholar of unlearned, man or
to be aggressive  inside and outside against us.woman, is a leader of one or more groups of people.
Innocent Indians are being killed every  day  Most people do not realize that they are "Spiritual
because our enemy  realizes that India is notLeaders"
sufficiently prepared to retaliate though India has armsRight from the time of creation God has emphasized
an ammunition to annihilate the enemy. They keepthe need of good leaders as well as the need to
bothering India because they know that at present follow them in every sphere of life. This is why He
we Indians just do not have the will to frighten  ourinstructs children to obey parents, wives to obey
enemy, though we are far stronger than them, andhusbands,  people to obey God-ordained leaders, and
every day we are paying dearly for ourleaders to be totally subject to God. The results of
unpreparedness caused by our unwillingness to put aobedience  can be seen during the reign of great
full stop to aggression.leaders while  that of disobedience can be seen
On the political front also we witness the  same crisis.during the absence of leaders -- when everyone
The largest "secular party" is in total  disarray. It is notbegins to do what suits his desires. The presence and
able to hold itself together, and thus it is doubtful ministry of godly and strong leaders  are essential for
whether it can now ever hold the  country. Thethe proper functioning of the church of God.
largest opposition party has been able to take into itsA good leader is able to  give a sense of direction to
hands the reins of the country, and things havepeople. In  addition, he is able to inspire  them to
become difficult for Christians.  Thus we just do notfollow the counsel of God  even when the human 
know  who shall  rule  us in future generations, andflesh resists the spiritual walk. He does it in three
how stable  and  peaceful our country  would be inways:  through his own life 's example, through
the comingdays. However we all know  definitelymotivation, and through implanting proper principles in
that  things are going  to be difficult for  Christians intheir heart.
the coming days, unless the Lord intervenes.In the spiritual realm a Christian leader influences an
At the spiritual front we notice an increase inentire generation, or even more, through his own life,
persecution, escalation of  compromise, and the through scriptural motivation, and through a systematic
absence of strong leaders. True, there  are many teaching of Biblical principles. The teaching part may
well-known  leaders today, but one has to realize not  always involve an academic classroom, but it
that  most of them  attained this  so-calleddoes involve some sort or other of teaching  the
greatness not  exactly  through  spiritualBible. We see examples of the above  in Moses, 
leadership,  but  rather through their   earthly Joshua, Mordeccai, Paul, etc. However, the one leader I
achievements  such as education, administration, wish to highlight in this study  is Nahemiah, the
oration,  propaganda, or even  manipulation. Many ofgreatest Post Exillic leader and spiritual reformer.
them  are  perceived  as great  because  ofSo committed  was Nahemiah to his God-given call
theirearthly  achievements and not  because a greatthat he was able to mobilize the entire Jewish
character.population ranging from the commoner to noblemen to
Political, social, or spiritual  instability  have a directcomplete the task at hand. So strong was the 
impact upon the spiritual  life  of   God's  children.motivation created by him that all of them worked day
This  results in increased  stress in the  church and night till the end in spite  of  continuous  threats.
life,   attempts  to  solve spiritual  problemsHowever, when we speak of leaders in the past
through  earthly  means,  and attempts  to  rise(whether from biblical records or church  history),
to  positions of  prominence in  the Church there is a natural tendency on the part of present-day
through   earthly or even carnal strategies. Webelievers  to exclaim, ''Oh, but these men  were
witness all of this today  among the children of God insuperhuman beings''. This is a wrong response.
our  country. All of this will have serious impact uponAttributing superhuman  strengths   to others  for
the atmosphere in which Christians live, and will alsothe purpose of justifying one's personal failures  is an
affect the way they are led by spiritual leaders. Asexcuse not proper for a child  of  God. Rather, 
people living in this generation, therefore, it is oureach one  of us should recognize that almost all the
responsibility to prepare well. The book of Nehemiahgreat leaders were common  people. They reached
would be a good starting-plalce to study the art ofunusual spiritual  heights not  because of their 
rebuilding when adversity strikes. There is practically noabove-average abilities, but rather because of their
Christian who can ignore the truths presented in thisabove-average commitment. And that is  exactly
book, and there is no one who shall remain untouchedwhat God is looking for today. Thus as we study the
if he studies this book withbook  of Nahemiah,  each one of  us would do well
 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â to ask to himself, ''in what special ways does the Lord
Lack of Directionwant to use me in my generation''. The question
The absence of strong leadership in any country,becomes all the more  relevant  today because 
society, or institution eventually results in an overall lackthe situation  of the present-day church exactly 
of  direction  there.  Similarly, the absence of strongparallels the situation of the Holy City  at the time 
spiritual leadership in the church or even  in  aof  Nehemiah: compromise is  rampant, the walls of
family  results in a lack of direction there. In thethe church  are  broken in most places, and many 
spiritual realm this loss of direction can be noticed inenemies of the gospel  have occupied rooms, and
many  ways. For example, there was a time whenstaked a permanent  claim, inside the church of God .
family  prayer  was  a compulsory item in allLet the Nahemiahs and Esthers of our generation rise
God-fearing households. Prayer was also a time forup and build the wall.   
systematic teachingof the word of God, giving  rise toWhy This Compromise
a generation that was  thoroughly familier with theNo spiritually minded  community or individual Believer
fundamental priciples of Christian life, and willing  toloves compromise. They would oppose  every 
test  everything in the light  of the Scriptures.attempt at diluting  the fundamental truths.
However, the  decreasing number  of families that Consequently,  no community falls suddenly into
are committed to regular family  prayer now is compromise. Spiritual compromise and eventual
one  indicator of the increasing lack of direction.downfall  is always a gradual phenomena.
The  increasing  strife in churches, the dicreasing of Just as those people who revolt at the  idea of
spiritual/biblical content in messages, and  the consuming poison do not react at all at the
increasing ifluence  of false doctrines is also anconsumption of  slow-poisons,  the spiritual
indicator of the lack of direction, because  a groupcommunity that vehemently  opposes compromise
that has a sense of direction does not accept oroften  becomes silent  when  the same thing is
tolerate  a doctrine (or practice ) that is contrary todone  gradually. And this is the way  in which 
the original norms of the group. But such have we nowSatan  eventually takes over entire Christian
become -- a group without any sense of spiritualpopulations or reform movements.  The book of
direction. The same influences can be seen in familiesNehemiah is  a good reminder of these.
where men refuse tolead, women refuse to submit,