Bible Verse: “Then he said to Jeroboam, ‘Take ten pieces for yourself, for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: “See, I am going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon’s hand and give you ten tribes.’” (1 Kings 11:31)
Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 11:26-43
Movie producer M. Night Shyamalan is well-known for inserting the unexpected into his movies. A twist that the viewer does not see coming. To be fair, some twists are better than others (I have my favorites and my least favorites of his), but they are always there.
The story of the kingdom of Israel, the kingdom of God’s chosen people, has a twist that Shyamalan himself would be proud of:
After Solomon’s death, the kingdom is divided!
God allows His chosen people to split into two separate kingdoms: the kingdom of Israel in the north and the new kingdom of Judah in the south.
Of course, this is the result of her sin, but even so, it seems drastic. The greed and ambition of Israel and Judah’s successors to their respective thrones would lead to both kingdoms living in apostasy and idolatry.
In life, there will be many opportunities to pursue fame, wealth, or any number of things. And there will be opportunities to abuse those things in whatever capacity we happen to possess them.
That is the lesson from the splitting of the kingdom. That is the challenge we must face as men and the question we must ask:
How will I use what I have?
Power, influence, wealth, status—none of these are bad in themselves. It is their inappropriate use that makes them tools of evil. We are the ones who decide how we will wield them.
Prayer: God in Heaven, help me to use those things that I have in a way that honors and glorifies You and builds up those with whom I come into contact. Amen.
Reflection: When faced with a temptation to misuse something, how do you fight that temptation?
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