“Then they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke hard; now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.’ Then he said to them, ‘Depart for three days, then return to me.’ So the people departed. King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, ‘How do you counsel me to answer this people?’ Then they spoke to him, saying, ‘If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and grant them their petition, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever'” (1 Kings 12:3-7).
Although Rehoboam (Solomon’s son) refused the advice of his kingdom’s stately elders, their leadership counsel was inspired by Messianic wisdom. Great leaders use their power not to be served but to serve. And to God be praise that one of David’s son, his greatest son, actually embraced the heavenly wisdom of these elders! “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). This is precisely why people from every tribe, tongue, and nation have become followers of Yeshua.
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matt 11:28-30). And if our king was the epitome of servant-leadership, let us get off our high horses, put a towel around our waists, and cheerfully start serving others, too!
“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:5-8).
