CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Nehemiah – Planning
And they said to me, The remnant left of the captivity there in the province is in great affliction and shame. And the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are burned with fire. (Neh.1:3)
The vision has been established and written, the idea formulated, the name printed, now the work begins. The destination has been decided, it is now time to establish the starting point. It is time to plan, to set out a course, step by step and to do that you need information.
Get to know everything you need to about the business. Find out what will you need, materials, equipment, personal, buildings, and finance. Get to know the competition and their products. Every aspect of the business must be clear in your mind. Lay out a plan of action. Know exactly what you are going to do. For example, if your idea is to open a shop, ask yourself, is it in a suitable location? Are there enough passersby, or potential customers? Is it large enough to accommodate all that you wish to do? Is the rent not too high? What must be done to lure people into the place? What about shelving, flooring, décor? Are the electricity power points sufficient for your purposes? All must be taken into consideration. Opening day is too late.
From the moment he heard about the situation in Jerusalem, Nehemiah started praying and meditating on what needed to be done.
And it happened when I heard these words, I sat down and wept. And I mourned for days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of Heaven. (Neh.1:4)
He waited four months before approaching the king, obviously with God’s help and wisdom, formulating a plan of action. By the time Nehemiah went to the king, he knew exactly what he wanted to do (vision), what he needed (materials) and how much he needed (finance), where he was going to get it, and who would be able to help him(suppliers). He did all this, without ever setting foot in Jerusalem.
Once he arrived in Jerusalem, he took three days to acclimatize, to get to know the situation and then he started to put his plan into operation.
And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me.
….and looked at the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down, and its gates which were burned with fire. (Neh.2:12-13)
He already knew that enemies abounded, so he took a ride around Jerusalem at night to study firsthand what needed to be done.
Hours in any business are flexible. Do not fool yourself into thinking that business means the easy life. It is hard work, demanding, stressful and requires total commitment.
After familiarizing himself with the problems that he faced, Nehemiah began the work in earnest. The opposition caught unawares, were left stranded out in the cold. Unable to mount an attack they resorted to hurling harmless insults at the builders. Finally, when the enemy was ready to attack, the Israelites were armed and waiting. Nehemiah’s preparations had paid off.
Unable to halt the work on the wall, they turned their attention to Nehemiah, but Nehemiah knew that what he was doing was right, nothing could stop him. His vision was firmly set in his mind.
It took just 52 days to complete the walls of Jerusalem, all due to his meticulous preparation and planning.
Plan your business carefully. Know what you are going to do before you do it. Know where you are going, and how you are going to get there.
Even when it came to building the temple, the plans, the materials and the finances had long been secured by David, before his son, Solomon, even started on the project. (1Chro.22:1-19).
It took Solomon 7 years to build the temple (1Kings 6:38) but it was a work well-planned as described by the Chronicler.
Now all the work of Solomon was prepared unto the day of the foundation of the house of the LORD, and until it was finished. So the house of the LORD was perfected. (2Chr.8:16)
Nothing was left to chance, but on occasion it is necessary to change plans, or at least alter them to suit circumstances. For example, when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, God’s plan was that they should immediately enter the land of Canaan, but due to a lack of faith, the Israelites refused and it was necessary for them to spend forty years in the wilderness to learn about faith and obedience, two necessary items for any vision, to succeed - faith to know that it would be accomplished, and obedience to do and keep on doing till the end. At times the work may be a grind but even so continue till finished. All our planning has to take God and His will into account.
Your business is you but more than that:
And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. (1Cor.3:23)
Most banks today have a standardized business plan form which you can complete. It is worth the effort, even if you do not plan to borrow money from them, get hold of a form and fill it in, it will be of great benefit to you. It will give you a good idea of the viability of your venture; show you any shortcomings you might have and allow you to make contingency plans for any problems that may occur.
If there is any aspect of the business which you are unsure of, get advice. Approach the appropriate associations, lawyers and contractors beforehand, compare quotes and prices before making a decision.
Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counselors they are established. (Prov.15:22)
Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war. (Prov.20:18)
Somebody once said: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Make sure you are ready, do the legwork beforehand, it will save a lot of heartache later. If it becomes obvious that the business is not viable at least you have time to change your plans. Once your doors are open, it is too late.