1 Kings 1:5-31
David
is getting very old, and his son Adonijah knows this. So, he starts his
own campaign trail to be the next king of Israel. He makes his rounds
with all the people who he thinks will support him, and throws an
inaugural ball for himself. He doesn't invite the people he knows won't
join his side. He's got all the things a king needs to rule - chariots,
servants, horses, and infantry. He's ready to take the throne. There's
only one problem though - King David already appointed his other son
Solomon as the next king.
When Nathan the prophet and Solomon's mother find out about the party that Adonijah is throwing, they go into survival mode. They realize that if they don't do something quick, things are going to get out of hand very quickly. Not only that, but Adonijah has already persuaded Joab - David's primary army officer, and Abiathar - David's leading priest, to join his side.
Nathan finds Bathsheba and tells her that if she wants to save her and Solomon's life, she needs to tell the king. So, she does. David doesn't know anything about what Adonijah is doing, and thinks everything is going according to plan for Solomon to inherit the kingship.
Bathsheba pleads her case before David, and shortly after Nathan barges in to weigh in on it as well. After David hears all of this, he keeps his promise. He says, "As long as God lives, I will keep my promise of making Solomon king after me."
When we get passionate about something, or get an inspired idea, who do we invite into it?
I'm a dreamer. I get ideas by the minute, and 99% of them don't turn into reality. The other 1% do become a reality, and I can go about it two ways. I can surround myself with people who are only going to support my ideas, or I can surround myself with a mixed bag of people with differing opinions. I think we call this subjective and objective viewpoints.
When I find myself thinking about who will support my motives without question, and disregard the people who will challenge my thinking, there is something manipulative and secret about it. My motives are left unchecked by other people, and I am really conniving to become the king of something. It's so much easier to hide from people who will challenge me.
To go into a closed room, shut off to people who disagree, and start building a kingdom is unfortunately what some see when they look at the church. They see an elite group of people who have a vision, but the vision is unchallenged and unquestioned. There's no room for an objective viewpoint. The same thing happens with the government and business. People are setting themselves up to be kings and queens, locking themselves away from the opinions of people who disagree with their motives.
When we make big decisions in our lives, do we only seek direction from the people we agree with? Do we invite only our supporters to the party? Or, do we invite a mixed bag of opinions?
If we are afraid to be questioned and challenged in our decisions and ideas, then we're probably on our way to making ourselves king or queen over whatever it is we're trying to do. If we're opening ourselves up to disagreement and challenge, then we're probably more concerned with remaining loyal servants.
I want to be a person who opens myself up to questions and disagreement, letting the kingship be had by another. The kingship is not for me, even though the pangs for power are always groaning, always ready to take over whatever throne is waiting to be filled.
Today's Action: What's one big decision we're mulling over today? Have we invited people who will probably disagree with us into the decision-making process? If not, set up a coffee date.
When Nathan the prophet and Solomon's mother find out about the party that Adonijah is throwing, they go into survival mode. They realize that if they don't do something quick, things are going to get out of hand very quickly. Not only that, but Adonijah has already persuaded Joab - David's primary army officer, and Abiathar - David's leading priest, to join his side.
Nathan finds Bathsheba and tells her that if she wants to save her and Solomon's life, she needs to tell the king. So, she does. David doesn't know anything about what Adonijah is doing, and thinks everything is going according to plan for Solomon to inherit the kingship.
Bathsheba pleads her case before David, and shortly after Nathan barges in to weigh in on it as well. After David hears all of this, he keeps his promise. He says, "As long as God lives, I will keep my promise of making Solomon king after me."
When we get passionate about something, or get an inspired idea, who do we invite into it?
I'm a dreamer. I get ideas by the minute, and 99% of them don't turn into reality. The other 1% do become a reality, and I can go about it two ways. I can surround myself with people who are only going to support my ideas, or I can surround myself with a mixed bag of people with differing opinions. I think we call this subjective and objective viewpoints.
When I find myself thinking about who will support my motives without question, and disregard the people who will challenge my thinking, there is something manipulative and secret about it. My motives are left unchecked by other people, and I am really conniving to become the king of something. It's so much easier to hide from people who will challenge me.
To go into a closed room, shut off to people who disagree, and start building a kingdom is unfortunately what some see when they look at the church. They see an elite group of people who have a vision, but the vision is unchallenged and unquestioned. There's no room for an objective viewpoint. The same thing happens with the government and business. People are setting themselves up to be kings and queens, locking themselves away from the opinions of people who disagree with their motives.
When we make big decisions in our lives, do we only seek direction from the people we agree with? Do we invite only our supporters to the party? Or, do we invite a mixed bag of opinions?
If we are afraid to be questioned and challenged in our decisions and ideas, then we're probably on our way to making ourselves king or queen over whatever it is we're trying to do. If we're opening ourselves up to disagreement and challenge, then we're probably more concerned with remaining loyal servants.
I want to be a person who opens myself up to questions and disagreement, letting the kingship be had by another. The kingship is not for me, even though the pangs for power are always groaning, always ready to take over whatever throne is waiting to be filled.
Today's Action: What's one big decision we're mulling over today? Have we invited people who will probably disagree with us into the decision-making process? If not, set up a coffee date.
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