A powerful reminder for overwhelmed leaders
Daniel 4 is in the form of an open letter written by King Nebuchadnezzar to the whole world. Daniel was the biblical writer of the book, but he includes the letter here, in the king's own words.
Nebuchadnezzar writes that after conquering the Israelites, God had judged him by driving him into the wilderness, where he lived like an animal, utterly insane and with hair and nails that went uncut for seven years.
He is miraculously restored to his throne at the end of that time. The letter he writes after returning to rule is candid, vulnerable and full of praise for God. Which makes this one of the more ironic and strange chapters in the Bible!
I had two fresh takeaways as I read it. The first was an observation of the similarities between Nebuchadnezzar and Paul—going from persecutor of God's people to their defender. They both also wrote letters glorifying God.
The second was a leadership lesson embedded in the final section of the king's writing. He was so overwhelmed by the Lord's merciful restoration that he couldn't help praising God. After declaring the glory and honor of the "King of Heaven," Nebuchadnezzar admits this heavenly King "is able to humble the proud," which of course he knows from personal experience.
The lesson for me was that no matter how difficult life and business can be—even if we are greatly humbled by people or circumstances—we are assured that God is a great Restorer. He "gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6b).
If you find yourself in a challenging place, or know someone who is, perhaps King Nebuchadnezzar's story can be a powerful reminder of God's wonderful mercy and restorative grace available to all of us.
When we humble ourselves before God, he draws near to lift us up (Ps. 25:9, Lk. 1:52, Ps. 146:6).
Jesus gives us the final word: "But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted" (Mt. 23:12).
At his feet,
Tom Harper
Founder, BiblicalLeadership.com
LinkedIn profile | My books
 | Tom Harper is publisher of BiblicalLeadership.com and executive chairman of Networld Media Group, a business-to-business publisher and event producer. He has written five books, including Servant Leader Strong: Uniting Biblical Wisdom and High-Performance Leadership (DeepWater Books, 2019) as well as the Christian business fable Through Colored Glasses and its sequel Inner Threat (DeepWater, 2022). Learn More » |
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