Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a video of Sara Groves singing, Open My Hands… expressing the depth of God’s love for His saved ones especially when we live with open hands and hearts to others.
Highlight Passage: 1st Kings 12: 6-7 [NKJV] …
6 Then King Rehoboam discussed the matter with the older men who had counseled his father, Solomon. “What is your advice?” he asked. “How should I answer these people?” 7 The older counselors replied, “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.” for God’s truth as if searching for treasure.
... Wise advice which went unheeded by King Rehoboam.
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Highlight Context – 1st Kings 12:1-19 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Rehoboam would not take advise of his elders and be a servant leader; and God’s people rebelled against his hard leadership, causing the Northern Kingdom to fall.
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Reference Passage #1 - Matthew 20: 25-28 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus teaches His disciples (and us too) about servant leadership.
Reference Passage #2 - John 13: 12-17 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Jesus gives an example of servant leadership to His disciples.
My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread author, the Lawrence Darmani, told a story of African tribal succession to illustrate his teaching on Christian leadership. Darmani writes: In traditional African societies, leadership succession is a serious decision. After a king’s demise, great care is taken selecting the next ruler. Besides being from a royal family, the successor must be strong, fearless, and sensible. Candidates are questioned to determine if they will serve the people or rule with a heavy hand. The king’s successor needs to be someone who leads but also serves.
And Darmani, to illustrate this teaching biblically, went back to the time when Rehoboam had taken the mantle of leadership from his father, the King of the North in Israel; and he wanted to be a successful king [see the passage in 1st Kings 12 linked above]. So Rehoboam went to the Elders of the kingdom for advice; and these wise men advised him to serve the people as king and they would follow him [see verses 6-7]. But after also getting advice from the younger men in the tribe, who advised Rehoboam to be even harder on the people than his tough father had been, Rehoboam became a hard task-master; and the people rebelled against him, causing the Northern kingdom to fall.
Jesus, on the other hand, the King of kings, … and Lord of lords, … the Master and Messiah, was our example of what a leader really should be. Unlike Rehoboam, Jesus showed His disciples how to lead by being a servant. Take in the passages above, and you will see that God wants his leaders to be servants in their leadership of others; … i.e., to lead by serving first. And today’s song conveys, God will open His heart to anyone who’s opening their hearts to/for others. And I think that’s especially true of leaders.
And if any of us have roles of leadership … perhaps in our work, at church, or at home in our families, … as leaders we must first be willing to wash the feet of those we serve as leaders [see the John 13 passage above]. And I pray in my roles as Church Elder, Ministry Director, and husband/father/grandfather, I do as Jesus taught and be a servant leader.
My Prayer Today: Heavenly Father, … I want to be a leader just as You are my leader. Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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