Want more influence on the job?
At home?
At church?
Want more people to look to you for leadership?
Become a better servant.
Focus first on the things that serve others’ best interests.
Help people get to where they want to be.
Know them.
Show them.
Grow with them.
Go with them.
Young King Rehaboam should have listened to this advice from the aged royal counselors who had advised his father Solomon.
But he ignored them because of pride and greed.
Here’s what he was told in I Kings 12 by the counselors when asked by the people of Israel to cut taxes following Solomon’s death:
“If you are willing to be a servant to these people today and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your loyal subjects.”
But here’s what Rehaboam said to the people:
“My father laid heavy burdens on you, but I’m going to make them even heavier! My father beat you with whips, but I will beat you with scorpions!”
Big mistake.
The kingdom split. Warfare resulted. Countless thousands died.
The world has never been the same.
If only Rehaboam would have seen himself first as a servant rather than an entitled tyrant.
Let’s recognize the cancer of selfishness. Nothing good comes from it.
Serve others first.
Always.
We’ll be much more valuable to everybody — including ourselves — as we show others the better path.
As always, I love you
Martin
