Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 14

30 There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.
1 Kings 14:30

King Solomon has died. His sons have succeeded him to the throne, splitting the kingdom. To the north, ten of the twelve tribes band together, forming the Kingdom of Israel. To the south, Judah and what’s left of the tribe of Benjamin form together the Kingdom of Judah. Rehoboam rules to the south, Jeroboam to the north. 

This is the end result of Solomon’s disastrous practices. He has enslaved his own people to build grand projects across the Kingdom. While 1 Kings focuses much time and attention on the Temple, Solomon’s palace is larger, grander, and even more ornate. He has used slave labor, his own people, to build such projects. To gain his wealth, he has heavily taxed the people. 

When he is succeeded, the people come to Rehoboam and ask if he will change is father’s practices. Rehoboam instead doubles down on Solomon’s oppressive practices, causing Jeroboam, his half-brother, to rise up against him. This splits the kingdom. 

There were warnings. God tried to speak to Solomon. But for all his wisdom, power corrupted him. As Machiavelli says, “absolute power corrupts absolutely.” 

None of us are kings and none of us enjoy absolute power. But we do have influence. In our families, in our workplaces, on the boards where we serve, among our friends, we have influence. For us, we must be willing to ask ourselves if we are more likely to use that influence to better ourselves or if we use it to benefit the Kingdom of God. For each of us has a role to play, and it’s easy to fall to the temptation to better ourselves, just as Solomon did. 

Think
Do you use your influence more often for personal gain or to benefit the Kingdom? 

Pray
Pray for God to reveal to you the answer to the question above, doing the hard work of self-reflection.

Do
Spend time in self-reflection, perhaps using a prayer journal. 

Think, Pray, Do. As we respond in faith to scripture, God moves in power through our minds, hearts, and bodies. We are the people of God. Thanks for reading today. Go in peace. Amen.

Think, Pray, Do devotionals by Ted Goshorn follow the suggested bible reading plan from his website and book, Prayer Changes Us. Find this Bible reading plan at tedgoshorn.org/biblereading. If you have found today’s devotion helpful, don’t forget to subscribe for daily emails at tedgoshorn.org and share with others that we may think, pray, and do faithfully.