[The elders replied to Rehoboam], “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.” But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him.
1 Kings 12:7-8 (NIV)

For many years my company served a client whose CEO was a bully. This person managed by fear and intimidation. It was obvious that those who succeeded in the organization were those who understood and matched that management style. My job was to work with those on front-line customer facing teams, and it was fascinating to watch the trickle-down effect of the corporate culture. My training sessions sometimes turned into group therapy.

One of the things my career has afforded me is the opportunity to witness leadership in companies large and small in every conceivable industry across North America. In my book, I share one of the things I’ve observed that became an important lesson for me: a company’s culture flows out of the corner office of the C-Suite.

Today’s chapter is a master class in leadership. It could be titled How to Lose Half Your Kingdom in Three Days. Specifically, it reveals how not to lead. The tenuous unity that David was able to forge among the Hebrew tribes falls apart as was prophetically foretold in yesterday’s chapter. When the dust settles the kingdom is divided. David’s tribe of Judah (the largest of the tribes) remains loyal to Solomon’s son, Rehoboam. The rest side with a man named Jeroboam, also as the prophet foretold.

All along, the narrator has been dropping breadcrumbs into the text regarding the conscripted labor and forced labor that Solomon used to build his empire. With Solomon dead and a new king on the thone, this is an opportunity for the tribes to renegotiate their covenant with Judah and the house of David.

The people tell Rehoboam: “Lighten our yoke and we will serve you.” The elders tell Rehoboam: “Serve them, and they will serve you.” But Rehoboam refuses, and Israel essentially says, “We will not serve you.”

Rehoboam is taking a power down leadership style. It’s classic Level Three Kingdom of this World thinking.

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The elders understand what Jesus will model nearly a millennium later when He kneels with a towel around his waist and demonstrates God’s leadership methodology.

The tribes immediately secede and Rehoboam loses half his kingdom. From now on, his kingdom will be just the Kingdom of his tribe, Judah.

But he’s not the only leader making poor decisions.

Jeroboam is quickly enthroned over the seceding northern tribes, and from this point forward in history they will continue to be known as the Kingdom of Israel. Jeroboam immediately sees a potential threat to his hold on power. God’s Temple, the place where all Hebrews are supposed to regularly go to worship and offer sacrifices, is in Jerusalem. Jerusaelm is the capital of the nation from which they just seceded. Jeroboam is afraid that his people’s loyalty to God and regular pilgrimages to the Temple might make them less loyal. So, he decides to make some changes to the national religion. Ironically, he resurrects the Golden Calf idea that got their ancestors in trouble back in the days of Moses at Mount Sinai.

What’s driving both of these poor leaders is fear. Rehoboam fears appearing weak. So Rehoboam manipulates power and says, “I must prove I’m stronger than my father.” Jeroboam fears becoming irrelevant. He manipulates religion and says, “I must make sure the people don’t return to Jerusalem.”

Both men are protecting themselves. Both destroy something precious while trying to secure their positions. Rehoboam loses what he tries to control. Jeroboam corrupts what he tries to preserve. Fear makes terrible policy.

Jeroboam has received an extraordinary promise from God in yesterday’s chapter. God essentially tells him, “I will give you ten tribes. Walk faithfully with me and I will establish your dynasty.” Almost immediately Jeroboam begins thinking, “Yeah, but…what if God doesn’t come through?”

So he creates a new religion with golden calve idols, shrines, priests, and festivals. An entire religious apparatus designed to accomplish what God had already promised.

And I wonder how often I do the exact same thing.

God gives me something—a calling, relationship, ministry, opportunity, family, business, influence, position—and somewhere along the way the gift becomes something I desperately need to protect. Slowly, I begin managing appearances, controlling people, manipulating outcomes, and compromising convictions. Because trusting God suddenly feels considerably riskier than managing things myself.

And eventually the thing I build to protect God’s gift becomes the very thing that pulls me away from the Giver.

But Rehoboam gives me a different shadow. His problem isn’t fear of losing what God gave him. It’s the insecurity that makes him need to prove himself. His father was Solomon. Imagine inheriting that résumé and having to step into those golden sandals. So when the elders counsel humility and service, Rehoboam hears weakness. His frat brothers offer him swagger, domination, and an opportunity to demonstrate that he’s an even bigger badass than Dad. He takes it, and destroys the kingdom he’s trying to demonstrate he’s strong enough to rule.

Two kings.
Two insecurities.
Two attempts to secure themselves.

One shattered kingdom.

And in the quiet this morning, that’s the question Holy Spirit whispers in my head and heart. “What am I trying desperately to secure for myself because I don’t quite trust God enough to leave it in His hands?”

Fear makes idols.
Ego makes burdens.
Trust makes servants.

Jesus taught and demonstrated that the Kingdom of God has always belonged to those willing to loosen their grip, pick up the towel, and trust God.

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