Wisdom, Measured in Years

Bible Reading 6/23: 1 Kings 12-14

1 Kings 12:8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:

King Rehoboam had 2 choices: he could seek the cousel of older, wiser men with years of experience in the kingdom...or, he could get a quick, satisfying answer from young & inexperienced friends. He desperately wanted to establish his authority as king...so what would he choose? Turns out, he chose the youngers' advice & ended up using an aggressive form of authority over God's people. Yes, instilling fear produces quicker results, but it also produces enemies. The long-lasting effect of kindness & patience will produce faithful followers...and friends! Yes, you may have to prove yourself first. Yes, it may take more time than a threat...but in the end, it's worth it! They will have your back! Just like the older people were wiser because of their long years of experience, we too must be willing to listen to their advice, even if it is a longer path to success. The shorter years of experience produced a shorter route to results, but also produced quick enemies...wisdom is truly measured in years!