Nehemiah was a man of character and positive reputation, as evidenced by the fact that he held the position of “cupbearer to the king”. In other words, he would taste-test the beverages before they were given to King Artaxerxes to ensure that they weren’t poisoned. This was a position of both responsibility and courage. His Assyrian overlords had to have enough trust in him to have every confidence that he would not personally poison the king’s cup. And he had to be brave enough to drink each beverage before the king did, knowing that they could have contained poison. Nehemiah quickly earned a reputation as a responsible, mature young Israeli man.

Nehemiah begins to be burdened by the condition of his home country and feels strongly that he should return to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls around the city. He also has a deep desire to see his people return to their religious roots and re- institute religious practices that had long since disappeared. It is this desire that exposes his leadership qualities, and which makes him a wonderful example of the qualities necessary to be an effective leader.