Hand Me Another Brick

I have just finished reading a fantastic book about the leadership of Nehemiah. Nehemiah is an ancient book of the Old Testament that recounts the story of a Jewish official who served the Persian king Artaxerxes in the 5th century BC. Persia was the world’s superpower, having recently (under Cyrus the Great) defeated the Babylonian Empire. (In the 6th century, the Babylonians surrounded Jerusalem, defeated the city, and enslaved its people.)

Nehemiah was likely a descendant of one of the original Jewish slaves. He served the king in a position of high trust as a cupbearer, which meant he oversaw the king’s food and beverages, ensuring they were not compromised.

One day, Nehemiah received a report about Jerusalem, which was in dire straits. The story reveals that he convinced the king to permit him to rebuild the city’s wall. As the leader of a great project, he faced all the problems and challenges that CEO’s and political leaders face in the modern era.

Nehemiah had to plan, prepare, persuade, prioritize, motivate, and encourage. He dealt with enemies, dangers, intimidation, and he confronted problems. He handled promotion and delegated well. He became a great person with impeccable character.

Nehemiah is the greatest book ever written about leadership. The Education of Cyrus is close, which I plan to review. However, Nehemiah is the story of an ordinary man who became great and accomplished uncommon things. I commend Nehemiah itself to teenagers, and Charles Swindoll’s classic guide to the book.

Hand Me Another Brick explains the story of Nehemiah, describing leadership principles and their implications. Charles Swindoll is a world-renowned Bible teacher and author. His writing style is entertaining and easy to understand. This is an excellent book for helping teens take advantage of an ancient story that could change their lives and help them lead in their peer groups and future careers.

I have recommended it to high school students on a site I am creating specifically for them. I will make it available soon.