II Chronicles 10:10 Then the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you should speak to the people who have spoken to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter on us’—thus you shall say to them: ‘My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s waist!        

   

    My parents’ owned a Dairy Queen. They built up a very successful business in my hometown and it grew and prospered for 30 years. When it was time for them to retire a teacher friend of mine asked if I was going to take over the bus-iness. I wanted no part of it. But not for the reasons one might think. I had no confidence that I could be as successful at it as they had been and I didn’t want them to see it deteriorate under my care.

    Solomon had built the kingdom of Israel to levels almost unimaginable. The kingdom had expanded geographically, was at peace, and had fantastic wealth. But his time was over and Rehoboam, his son, became king. At the coronation a delegation came and asked for some relief from the heavy taxes they’d experi-enced under his father. In a brief glimmer of wisdom, he asked for three days to consider the matter. He asked the older men who had served his father and they suggested a light touch. The men his own age suggested that this was the time to really show how strong a king he was! He liked that idea and ran with it. And just like that, the kingdom split into two pale reflections of what it had once been. 

    Rehoboam had inherited unbelievable wealth and position but he quickly made it all about himself. What he did not understand was that what he really inherited was responsibility. The king was to make sure the people were secure, not the other way around. 

    Many people have similarly completely misunderstood what they have in Christ. As a follower of Jesus we may look at the benefits (and there are many!). “As a Christian, I can have peace with God, answers to my prayers, and, of course, heaven when I die!” But the problem is that that sort of mindset is far too self-focused. If I am a Christian, I am declaring that I am a follower of Jesus. A follower follows! I do as He did. Jesus did not focus on His own privilege, but was always others-focused. He served. I must serve.

    If I do not follow in His footsteps but make my Christianity all about me, I may find myself like Rehoboam, holding the broken pieces of what might have been. 

Blessings, 

Pastor Russ