Then King Rehohoam took counsel with the older men who had attended his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, "How do you advise me to answer this people?" They answered him, "If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever." But he disregarded the advice that the older men gave him, and consulted with the young men who had grown up with him and now attended him. He said to them, "What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father put on us’?" The young men who had grown up with him said to him, "Thus you should say to this people who spoke to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you must lighten it for us’; thus you should say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins. Now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’"

1 Kings 12:6-11

We work harder for things we do not need. We dress for things we don’t want to go to. We accept invitations to do things when we really have more important things to do with our lives. We also listen to people and follow a crowd that encourages us to do what is wrong. King Rehoboam did that. He should have listened to his elders. But he listened to the people his age. We are all influenced by people pressure. It bears down on us from all directions. But we do have the choice of picking the path we will take. Don’t be misled. Listen to the words of the Bible. Heed the counsel of those around us who are humble, good, and godly and we will follow the way that pleases God.

Those who follow the crowd soon become a part of the crowd.

Our Daily Bread – November 24, 2003