But he rejected the advice of the elders who had advised him and consulted with the young men who had grown up with him and attended him. ~1 Kings 12:8
For years, every morning, usually before dawn, our little dog, Bear, went to the door. She would stand there for a moment, then make a little chirping sound. My late wife called it a “trill.” Whatever it was, I knew Bear was telling us that she needed to go on a field trip to the front yard.
I clipped on her leash, opened the door, and ventured out into the darkness. Nine times out of ten, our newspaper was already lying on the driveway. While waiting for Bear to find the perfect blade of grass to water, I would unroll the newspaper. I liked to be the first in the family to do this. Don’t ask me why this is true because I don’t know. (This happened years ago before I “unrolled” the newspaper by logging on to FoxNews.com.)
Anyway, the first thing I’d see, once I opened the paper, was the headline. Political news, sports results, crimes committed—whatever our local publisher decided should grab me first. The other day I got to thinking, When I unrolled that paper, what headline did I hate the most? Let me ask you, too, which headline do you dislike more than any other?
For me, the news headline that hurts the most is an airline disaster. Pictures of small pieces of a once-airworthy ship that was filled with unsuspecting passengers grip me. The tragedy always seems so needless.
My second most unfavorite headline is the news of another fallen leader—someone whom thousands, perhaps millions, of people looked up to who has, like a crippled airplane, needlessly fallen from grace. I always wonder how this happened. I grieve for the guy and his horrified and embarrassed family. I speculate how this will affect others.
King Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, had an important decision to make. His first instinct was to consult with his elders, veterans who knew the consequences of life’s difficult decisions—of making wise choices and foolish ones as well. Rehoboam got the counsel he was seeking, but he didn’t like it. So he went to a bunch of his buddies—friends who had not only grown up with the king but people who were on his payroll.
They, too, gave Rehoboam advice. But this time it was just what the king wanted to hear. So, rejecting the wisdom of his elders, the foolish and indiscreet leader did what his friends told him to do.
To whom do you go for advice? Is there a person in your life who is solid enough not to fall into foolishness, someone who would dare challenge your presuppositions, biases, and conduct? Do you count on the counsel of someone who possesses the wisdom of advanced years or experience? Or do you only look for input that supports your own prejudices and your own viewpoint?
Today’s text ought to provide fair warning. One cool morning, the Israelites checked their phones for the latest news to find the following headline: “Disgraced King Flees Town. Chief of Staff Murdered in Cold Blood.”
I have a question: To what person do you go for answers to the tough questions? If someone’s name doesn’t immediately come to your mind, you may be in line for trouble. Find someone who is wise and who loves you enough to tell you the truth. Please don’t wait until you have a headline of your own.