Day 173: Advice

Today's Reading: 1 Kings 12-14

Here is a truth. Most of us love to counsel with those who will agree with us. We follow the advice of those whose words please us. We take the road which will promote us.

Today's passage speaks clearly about discernment, or lack of it. Rehoboam disregards the advice of the elders who encourage him to be a servant leader and instead takes the advice of his peers and becomes a tyrant.

Jeroboam, afraid of losing a people's loyalty, goes against God's commands and while building golden calves as idols, he build the idol of egotism, thus, ruining his life and kingdom.

Even a servant of the LORD, a prophet unnamed, falls into the trap of listening to another prophet instead of following closely and precisely the word from God.

And the result in all situations? Death and destruction.

It is good for us to be reading God's word together. Here, we truly begin to comprehend who God is and what God allows.

God's ruling is not harsh, nor does it abuse others. It calls for servant leadership. But when God has to discipline or clean up after disobedience, God's ruling might seem harsh, but is full and complete.

God is a jealous god. Idolatry, forked loyalties are forbidden. God and God alone is our banner.

God's word is true and can be trusted. God doesn't waffle saying one thing one day and another another day.

Vengeance belongs to God, not to people. God is the one who raises up rulers and smashes them.

And every detail of God's word is important. We might seek advice which tickles our ears, that softens or twists God's word, but the Word of the LORD endures forever.

Along with God's lovingkindness.

Are we getting the message?