Curious Christian

I’ve been reflecting on 1 Kings 12—the moment Israel fractures under Rehoboam. The people ask for relief from forced labor. Instead of listening to the wisdom of elders, Rehoboam listens to his inner circle, doubles down, and crushes the people. Pride wins. The kingdom breaks.

It’s hard not to see echoes of this in our own time. With leaders who wield power like a weapon, who reject wise counsel, who demonize dissent and stoke division. I think of Trump and others like him. Men who see strength only in domination. It’s leadership that’s deaf, brittle, and devastating.

But Christ shows us another way. He doesn’t pile burdens on. He lifts them. He listens. He heals. He leads not through coercion but through compassion. Where Rehoboam fractures, Jesus reconciles.

This story reminds me that sin, especially in leadership, has a ripple effect. But so does grace. Jesus doesn’t just offer critique; he brings redemption. In him, we glimpse a kingdom not built on fear or force, but on love, truth, and justice.

I want to follow that kind of king.