Episode notes

Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How would you advise me to answer these people?” he asked. [7] They replied, “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.”

[8] But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. [9] He asked them, “What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”

[10] The young men who had grown up with him replied, “These people have said to you, ‘Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.’ Now tell them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist. [11] My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions.’ ”


1 Kings 12:6-11 NIV

In this scripture, King Rebohoam took bad advice, which later costs him the entire nation when they refused to follow him.

Though we may look to this story and see all of the king’s mistakes and flaws, what this story really teaches us is that if we are to move forward, we have to be willing to let young leaders make mistakes. This fear of failure is one of many reasons why young people don’t go into spiritual leadership. Join Russ Ewell and friends as they discuss what can hold people back from leading, and find how, despite our mistakes, God believes we can be great leaders.

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The Deep Spirituality Podcast is a show about having spiritual conversations. Join our Editor-in-Chief Russ Ewell and guests as they have candid discussions on spiritual topics ranging from faith to anxiety to vulnerability, inspiring you to go deeper in your relationship with God and have challenging and honest conversations of your own.

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