2 Chronicles 10:6-11: a reflection

6King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, “What counsel do you give me about how to answer these people?” 7They spoke to him, saying, “If you are kind to these people, please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.” 8But he abandoned the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him. 9He said to them, “What counsel do you give, that we may give an answer to these people, who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Make the yoke that your father put on us lighter’?” 10The young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you shall tell the people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but make it lighter on us;’ thus you shall say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. 11Now whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.’”

When the new king Rehoboam must decide how to answer the people's request to lighten their burdens, he first consults the old men who had served his father. Their counsel is wise: If you are kind to these people, please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever. They advised him that kindness and serving the people would win their lasting loyalty. But Rehoboam rejects this counsel for the harsh advice of his peers, to his ruin. The wisdom he spurned was this: that kindness and serving those under you win their loyalty.

Notice the wisdom of the old men that Rehoboam rejected: kindness and serving the people would win their lasting loyalty. They understood something Rehoboam did not: that a ruler wins the lasting loyalty of his people not by lording it over them harshly, but by serving them, being kind to them, speaking good to them. The way to be truly followed was to serve those under him; kindness and service would bind the people to him forever. This was the wisdom Rehoboam spurned, preferring to assert his own power harshly; and he lost the people he might have kept.

That wisdom is worth taking to heart, for it holds true in whatever authority or influence we have over others. We can be tempted, like Rehoboam, to assert our authority harshly, to lord it over those under us, to make ourselves felt; but the old men's wisdom was that kindness and serving those under us win their lasting loyalty, where harshness loses it. When you have authority or influence over others, do not lord it over them harshly, asserting yourself; serve them, be kind to them, seek their good, as the old men counseled Rehoboam. Kindness and service to those under you win a lasting loyalty that harshness never can; choose the way of serving others rather than lording it over them, as the wise old men advised Rehoboam that kindness to the people would make them his servants forever, a wisdom he rejected to his own loss.

Lord, when the new king Rehoboam must decide how to answer the people's request to lighten their burdens, he first consults the old men who had served his father. Their counsel is wise: if you are kind to these people, please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever. They advised him that kindness and serving the people would win their lasting loyalty. But Rehoboam rejects this counsel for the harsh advice of his peers, to his ruin. Show me the wisdom of the old men that Rehoboam rejected: kindness and serving the people would win their lasting loyalty. They understood something Rehoboam did not: that a ruler wins the lasting loyalty of his people not by lording it over them harshly, but by serving them, being kind to them. The way to be truly followed was to serve those under him. This was the wisdom Rehoboam spurned, preferring to assert his own power harshly; and he lost the people he might have kept. Take that wisdom to my heart, for it holds true in whatever authority or influence I have over others. I can be tempted, like Rehoboam, to assert my authority harshly, to lord it over those under me; but the old men's wisdom was that kindness and serving those under me win their lasting loyalty. When I have authority or influence over others, keep me from lording it over them harshly; help me serve them, be kind to them, seek their good, Lord, as the old men counseled Rehoboam. Help me choose the way of serving others rather than lording it over them.