If I Were You

How often have you heard these words… “If I were you…”? How often do we offer unasked advice to friends and family? How often do people do the same for us? We all mean well though, don’t we?

Do we listen to our elders who are full of life experience? Do any of us pray before offering up our two bits of wisdom? How do we make the right decision when everyone around us offers differing advice?

Rehoboam made the wrong choice and it landed him in no end of trouble.

But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. He asked them, “What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?” (1 Kings 12:8, 9, NIV)

His young men maybe had an axe to grind with their elders because this is what happened.

He ignored the advice of seasoned experts and followed the advice of the young men and said, “My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.” (1 Kings 12:14, NIV)

This didn’t turn out too well for Rehoboam.

King Rehoboam sent out Adoniram who was in charge of forced labor, but all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam, however, managed to get into his chariot and escape to Jerusalem. (1 Kings 18:12, NIV)

You can read the rest of the story for yourself. (Hint: things went down hill from there.)

Prayer – Father, since we don’t have a clue how to live our life without your advice, we ask for your help today! Amen.