When things are starting to fall apart it is difficult to know what to do. Rehoboam inherited a kingdom that was starting to fall apart and he at least had the thought to ask advisors what to do.
Unfortunately, he followed the bad advice. The people of the kingdom were straining under the burden of taxes that were imposed for building all the lovely, but expensive, things that Solomon had had built. Rehoboam, instead of easing the tax burden, doubled down and made things worse. His somewhat unremarkable rule was never quite peaceful and the kingdom split into a northern and southern portion.
When I create work for others, I am not always mindful of the burden that I place on them. Certainly, when others create more work for me I notice! Particularly when I think they are making something hard just because it was hard for them when they did it.
The expectation that life should be hard is ingrained in our culture, but I am not convinced it should be.
In the season of Advent we look forward to the coming of Christ. We look forward to him saving us. We look forward to joy.
In 1 Kings 14:25-28 we read, “After Rehoboam had been king for four years, King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem. He took everything of value from the temple and the palace, including Solomon’s gold shields. Rehoboam had bronze shields made to replace the gold ones, and he ordered the guards at the city gates to keep them safe. Whenever Rehoboam went to the Lord’s temple, the guards carried the shields. But they always took them back to the guardroom as soon as he was finished.”
As I reflect on what the Advent season means, this year, to me. I am reminded by Rehoboam that being selfish is neither the way of God nor the way of peace. But having done those things in the past does not exclude me from being part of the lineage of Jesus. There is always time to turn my actions from greed, and just being mean, to sharing and joy.
As we navigate through all the weirdness of sorta-but-not-quite exiting the pandemic, am I creating a safer space for people or am I doubling down on making things worse? Daily, I need to pause and ask how I am making life easier for people, instead of harder. What can I do so that our community stays unified and does not divide?
Jennifer Helbley is a member of the Liturgical (9 am) Service at La Sierra University Church and a dedicated pedestrian.