2 Chron. 10 [The Message]

When young King Rehoboam took the reins from his father Solomon, Jeroboam and all the rest of Israel wondered if he would be as demanding upon them as his father was. They wondered if the tax burden would continue to be high. Rehoboam consulted with his (should I say it? Liberal) young peers who all encouraged him to INCREASE the tax burden. They advised, “Tell the people that your little finger is thicker than your father’s waist. ‘My father thrashed you with whips, but I’ll beat you with bloody chains.'” This was NOT the message they wanted to hear, so Jeroboam and all the remaining tribes pulled out to form their own government.

In essence, Rehoboam had rejected the wise counsel given him by his father’s counselors … “If you will be a servant to this people, be considerate of their needs and respond with compassion, work things out with them, they’ll end up doing anything for you.” We have here a notable contrast in leadership styles.

Christ Jesus gives us the eternally BEST leadership style ever. He said, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” [Matt. 11:28-30, The Message]