- The Explore the Bible lesson for June 26 focuses on 1 Kings 12:6-19.
My favorite quote on leadership is from John Maxwell: “If you think you are leading, but no one is following, you are only taking a walk.” As leaders, we want good followership. We all want to be loved and respected as leaders, but this desire should never be rooted in selfish ambition.
Most of us would probably want to be the fun parent, the hip and innovative pastor, the administrator that is loved by all. But the reality is there are times when decisions need to be made that do not make us the fun parent; the innovative pastor has changed too many things; and the administrator upholds essential policies that are not welcomed.
Why is leadership complex at times? The reason is that leaders must lead people from one season to another and hopefully with successful results along the way. Decisions in leadership often determine the level of unity of the followers, and wise counsel along the way should always be a part of the leadership process. The threat for a leader is to try to be popular rather than effective.
In this week’s scripture, Solomon has died, and the throne now belongs to one of his sons Rehoboam, who has some leadership decisions to make regarding how he will rule and what direction he will lead the people of Israel.
Wise Counsel Ignored (1 Kings 12:6-7)
Rehoboam consulted with the elders that had served his father. The advice they gave Rehoboam was to be a servant to the people and speak kindly to them. In turn, Israel would serve the king. Interestingly, this wise advice centered on servant leadership, which Jesus also modeled for us in the New Testament. This type of servant leadership cares for the people under one’s care. Servant leadership guards against selfish ambition that tries to be self-seeking in leadership.
Rehoboam rejects this wise counsel, and it could have been that the advice on approaching his reign as king as a servant leader was not the type of advice he wanted to hear. As leaders, there is counsel we probably do not want to hear many times, but it is advice we need to hear. If we surround ourselves with people who tell us what we want to hear, our leadership will fail.
Pride Reigns (1 Kings 12:8-15)
Rehoboam’s pride gets the best of him when he listens to his friend’s advice to be a harsh and unkind king. Rehoboam decided to rule with fear rather than servanthood. He probably thought he needed to seem strong rather than a caring leader. I have known leaders who have chosen a similar leadership philosophy by making followers afraid. This style of leadership creates a very toxic environment.
Because of how Rehoboam decided to rule as a prideful king, Israel was sparked into rebellion and turned to Jeroboam for leadership. Israel’s rebellion fulfilled the prophecy that was made by the prophet Ahijah. Although Rehoboam’s decision seems immature, God is still in control of the situation and brings justice to sinfulness. God will consistently execute his plan as expressed through his word.
Division Ensues (1 Kings 12:16-19)
Rehoboam barely escapes with his life to Jerusalem after sparking a rebellion. Ten of the northern tribes are now under the reign of Jeroboam, and two tribes are under Rehoboam’s reign. It was a sad day to see the people of God divided and in rebellion after experiencing such victories as a united people under God’s care.
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Divisions are nothing new for the people of God. Sadly some toxic environments exist within kingdom work. Self-seeking leaders and sinful pride are often at the root of these divisions. Churches split, Christian marriages and families break up, and the reality is that divisions happen.
As the people of God, let’s strive to live in unity and peace. May we remember to lead through service and caring for our followers, knowing that this is the type of leadership Jesus modeled for us that we should emulate.
Dr. Joe Rangel is the associate dean of the School of Christian Studies and teaches Christian ministry at Wayland Baptist University.
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