March 5, 2026

Business by the Book

Nehemiah 5:7 Then I consulted with myself…

The Bible teaches that there is great wisdom in consulting with others, getting their input, advice and thoughts. However there comes a time when the final decision has to be made. Obtaining guidance from others is wise indeed, but sooner or later each leader must determine the course of action that will be taken.

Nehemiah was faced with a decision, and he consulted with himself. You are your best advisor. Has this ever happened? You have a decision to make and you seek counsel from someone who you think can help. Yet, no matter how much you explain the situation, no matter how many words you use, the other person just does not understand all the intricacies, the subtilties, the nuances of the question at hand. This is when you must consult yourself, for sometimes only you understand.

When a leader does make the best decision possible with the information they have available to them, there is always second guessing that arises. Others think they would have made a better decision, malcontents can render fifty reasons why you made a bad decision, and those without the benefit of your knowledge just know that they know better (yet armed with the same knowledge they probably would have made the same decision). This is one aspect of leadership that must be endured. It seems to be great sport today to degrade the decisions of leaders. But as someone taught me years ago:  “If you’re going to lead the orchestra, you must be willing to turn your back on the crowd.” 

Gain knowledge from others, consult with yourself, make your decision and live with it. Sink or swim, good or bad, wise or seemingly unwise, make the best decision you can with the data you have and go with it. Nehemiah did, and as a result he saved his workers and the project, and set straight a real problem that had crept into that society. Failure to make a decision is sometimes much worse than making a poor decision. Followers are looking to leaders to make decisions. In order though to make those decisions, leaders must oftentimes consult with themselves.

Dr. William Howe