Genuine Concern for the Welfare of Others

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Scripture

So they sent and summoned him. When Jeroboam and all Israel came, they spoke to Rehoboam, saying,
(2 Chronicles 10:3 NASB)
“Your father made our yoke hard; now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.”
(2 Chronicles 10:4 NASB)
Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, “How do you counsel me to answer this people?”
(2 Chronicles 10:6 NASB)
They spoke to him, saying, “If you will be kind to this people and please them and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”
(2 Chronicles 10:7 NASB)
But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who grew up with him and served him.
(2 Chronicles 10:8 NASB)
So he said to them, “What counsel do you give that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke which your father put on us’?”
(2 Chronicles 10:9 NASB)
The young men who grew up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you shall say to the people who spoke to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter for us.’ Thus you shall say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins!
(2 Chronicles 10:10 NASB)
‘Whereas my father loaded you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’”
(2 Chronicles 10:11 NASB)
For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.
(Philippians 2:20 NASB)
For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 2:21 NASB)
But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father.
(Philippians 2:22 NASB)

 

Observation

The passage from Chronicles is one in which we learn much about management and caring for others. There are two ways to go about things. One is to love those people who are under your care or responsibility. As you love and care for them, they respond to you out of that love and they desire to work together with you. However, too many listen to the advice of others who say, "pile it on!" "Teach them whose really the boss." Sadly those results are incredibly destructive and Paul hits the nail on the head when he talks about Timothy. He wants Timothy to come and see the believers in Philippi because he knows that Timothy will have their best interests in mind. Paul knows that when you don't -- then you are simply being self-centered. When leaders throw down a heavy yoke on their people, it is not out of a desire to make things better for them, but for control and power.

 

Application

Sadly power does nearly always create corruption. The question is, as a follower of Jesus Christ, is it possible to avoid that corruption? The kings of the Old Testament were not able to avoid the corruption that came with their power and the result was a divided kingdom and the eventual destruction and captivity of Israel. The corruption of power came from self-centeredness which no longer saw their responsibility as the care of their people, but of the peoples' responsibility to care for their king. The kings got it backwards as a result of sin. Paul, on the other hand, saw it quite differently. He realized that his life was to be a reflection of Jesus Christ to the world. That reflection of Christ did not include worldly power. Paul refused to take anything more than what he needed from the people and often worked his own way through ministry by making tents. He remained a very humble servant, even when he could have exercised greater control or power in many of his circumstances. Instead, when the people of a community grew too accustomed to him and what he could do for them, he moved on, so that the focus would be on Christ, and not on him.

Paul was genuinely concerned about those for whom he had responsibility. He loved them and wanted them well cared for by someone who would not use them for selfish gain. That is why he trusted Timothy to come and care for the people in the church. Timothy had learned what Paul had learned, and that was how to love and care for those within his sphere of responsibility. And this is the example to all of us. We may have family members within our sphere of responsibility, or we may be a leader over others on a more professional level. May we take time to learn from the past. May we learn to serve humbly and with a focus on those who are within our care, and not on ourselves. May Christ so fill us that we have genuine concern for the welfare of others.  And may we be willing to listen to the sound advice given to us from those who have experience.

 

Prayer

Lord, please help me be willing to listen to good, sound advice that makes an eternal difference. Amen.

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