Reflecting on 1 KINGS 2:13-25, 36-46... Both Adonijah and Shimei were troublemakers trying to overthrow the king, but Solomon showed them both mercy with strict conditions. Both of them agreed, yet both rebelled against the terms of their agreement. By asking to marry David’s concubine Abishag, Adonijah was looking to make a claim to the throne—he was still plotting to become king. Shimei, for his part, was a member of Saul’s tribe and had previously cursed David—he, too, was a rebel against the king. Solomon confined him to Jerusalem to keep him from going to his tribesmen and stirring up trouble. Solomon was a wise leader who understood when it was appropriate to extend mercy and when to exercise judgment. When Adonijah and Shimei violated Solomon’s terms, Solomon had them both executed. Like Adonijah and Shimei, we strive over and over to usurp God’s rightful place as King. We try to sit on the throne and reign over our own lives. Yet God shows us mercy over and over. He doesn’t execute us like rebels. Instead, Jesus is counted among us rebels and stands in our place (Luke 22:37) so that we can become right-standing citizens in God’s Kingdom. (2 Corinthians 5:21) JUST A THOUGHT: God shows us mercy over and over. How did early Church leaders handle problems facing them? In Acts 6:1-15 the new Christian community faced a crisis of leadership. The Greek-speaking Jews in Jerusalem were upset because the needs of their widows were being overlooked “in the daily distribution of food” (Acts 6:1). This disruption threatened the development of the Church with “rumblings of discontent” (Acts 6:1) and had to be addressed. Wisely, the apostles recognized the problem and called for the selection of seven men to administer the food program. Many interpreters see the seven as the first deacons. The apostles provided leadership that empowers by sensitively listening to genuine community needs. The people united with the leaders to respond. This wise handling of the issue resulted in spiritual growth and increased the number of believers. Different gifts were recognized in the Church and put to work for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 1 Peter 4:10-11). A clear division of labor was agreed upon—the apostles attended to preaching and teaching, and other Spirit-filled leaders handled the material needs of the people. God has given the Church its leaders, not to “lord it over” other people, but to serve the community (Matthew 20:25-28). The leaders of the Church do well when they recognize the needs of the community, as well as those whom God has prepared to meet those needs. Good leaders recognize gifted people and help them develop, empowering the members of the body to use their God-given gifts (Ephesians 4:11-12).
Posted on: Thu, 06 Jun 2013 10:00:40 +0000
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