Bishop Dag Heward-Mills
Our nation will be a blessed nation if our leaders are builders and we will be blessed if they build houses.
- 1. Leaders make it a priority to build houses because they discern the season for building.
Very few people in this world ever build houses for themselves. One of the reasons they do not build houses is because they constantly wait for the right season of their lives to build. But the best time to build a house is now. There has never been, and there will never be enough money. Now is the best time to build and a good leader builds now.
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, AND A TIME TO BUILD UP;
Ecclesiastes 3:3
2. Leaders build houses because they do not follow fantasies.
He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.
Proverbs 28:19
A leader does not follow imaginary high-sounding ideas. There are people who are full of schemes, projections and plans. They can speak for hours on end about their proposals and what they think will work.
You simply need to roll up your sleeves and get to the job. People who plan for years to travel abroad instead of going to the school that is nearby often do not amount to much. Such people do not usually accomplish much for themselves. Such people never build houses.
3. Leaders build houses because they do not follow pleasures.
He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.
Proverbs 21:17
Lovers of pleasure cannot build houses. Pleasure is expensive and a lot of money is needed to have a “good time”. Houses are equally expensive and require the heaviest investment of your money. People who love the pleasure of wining and dining, wearing expensive clothes, driving expensive cars will simply not have the money to build a house.
The cost of these luxuries amounts to the cost of a house. In fact, there are many cars that are more expensive than a house. Often, you have to choose between enjoying yourself and owning a house. Leaders choose to build houses rather than spending their money on fleeting luxuries.
4. Leaders build houses because they are frugal.
Frugality is the key to building a house.
It is interesting to note that poor nations waste their water resources by allowing most of the water they generate to go waste. Poor people waste their money by leaving lights and electric gadgets on when they do not need them.
Frugal people are constantly saving money. They do not want to waste anything no matter how much they have. God has provided for everyone. He has provided something for you and with that you will be able to accomplish something for yourself. He may not have given you what He has given others. But He has given you something. Do not waste what God has given you.
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
Genesis 1:29
That is what makes it possible for a frugal person to build and leaders build houses because they are frugal.
5. Leaders build houses because they have the humility to build slowly like the man who built on a rock.
Obviously, building on sand would be much quicker than building on a rock. In fact, it would take a long time to build a foundation on a rock.
Proper construction takes a long time. You must be prepared to spend a long time building your house. You must not expect things to be completed in a short time.
There is a type of man who simply wants to rent a house now. He does not want to roll up his sleeves and build anything. He wants to look successful and accomplished today. The price of looking successful and accomplished quickly is often the price of a house.
He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Luke 6:48
6. Leaders build houses because they are pragmatic and they work for long hours.
You may plan to live in a mansion way up on a hill. But you may not be able to practically build your dream house. You need to be realistic and do what you can do for now and God will take you from victory to victory and glory to glory. Life is such that you do not have what you really want.
You will never have the money that you really need. Many people will have to fight the problems of life and build a house at the same time. If you are waiting for a good time when everything is okay and money is flowing you may never build anything. Nehemiah had to fight and build at the same time.
Those who were REBUILDING the wall and those who carried burdens took their load WITH ONE HAND DOING THE WORK AND THE OTHER HOLDING A WEAPON.
Nehemiah 4:17, NASB
Many leaders, like Nehemiah, work for long hours. The principle is the same. If you sow seeds for many hours you would have sown many more seeds than someone who sowed for a few hours. Obviously, you will reap much more by working longer hours. Nehemiah built the wall from dawn until the stars appeared.
SO WE LABOURED IN THE WORK: AND HALF OF THEM HELD THE SPEARS FROM THE RISING OF THE MORNING TILL THE STARS APPEARED.
Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day.
So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, NONE OF US PUT OFF OUR CLOTHES, SAVING THAT EVERY ONE PUT THEM OFF FOR WASHING.
Nehemiah 4:21-23
7. Leaders build houses because they pray for wisdom.
It is difficult to believe that money is not the key ingredient for building a house. Building is impossible for most people. That is why you need the wisdom that makes you overcome impossible things.
THROUGH WISDOM IS AN HOUSE BUILDED; and by understanding it is established: And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
Proverbs 24:3-4
Certainly, what a difference it would make if our leaders were builders!
By Dag Heward-Mills