What role does humility play in decision-making, as seen in 1 Kings 12:12? Setting the Scene • “After three days, Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, ‘Come back to me on the third day.’ ” (1 Kings 12:12) • The moment looks neutral, even orderly. Yet, hidden beneath the surface is a heart posture that will shape the decision to follow. • Rehoboam has already rejected the seasoned elders’ advice (1 Kings 12:6-8) and is leaning toward the brash counsel of his peers (vv. 9-11). The people’s return sets the stage for either humble leadership or pride-driven ruin. Spotting the Missing Ingredient: Humility • Humility would have: – Recognized God’s sovereign hand over the throne (cf. 1 Kings 3:7-9). – Valued the well-being of the people above personal ego (Philippians 2:3-4). – Listened respectfully to wise, older counselors (Proverbs 11:14). • Pride instead: – Assumed unlimited authority (“My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist,” v. 10). – Multiplied burdens rather than easing them (v. 11). – Ignored the divine warning implicit in the elders’ words (v. 7). Lessons in Humility for Our Decisions • Humility pauses before responding—Rehoboam had three days to pray and ponder; he squandered them on self-affirmation. • Humility weighs counsel on the basis of wisdom, not flattery. • Humility embraces servant-leadership: “If today you will be a servant to these people… they will be your servants forever” (v. 7). • Humility fears God more than public image; it asks, “How will this choice honor the Lord?” Practical Steps Toward Humble Choices 1. Seek God first (James 1:5); submit the issue in prayer before consulting anyone. 2. Invite godly, experienced voices and listen without defensiveness (Proverbs 15:22). 3. Judge advice by Scripture, not by how well it strokes personal ambition. 4. Consider the impact on those under your care—family, church, coworkers (Colossians 3:23-24). 5. Act only when conscience is settled before God, then communicate with gentleness (Ephesians 4:2). Supporting Scriptures • Proverbs 11:2 – “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” • Isaiah 66:2 – “…This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at My word.” • James 4:6 – “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” • 1 Peter 5:6 – “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may exalt you in due time.” Humility, then, is not a footnote to decision-making; it is the hinge. In Rehoboam’s story the hinge failed, and the kingdom split. Our choices, when swung on the hinge of humility, open into blessing—for us and for those we lead. |
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