They answered [Rehoboam], "If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever."
I Kings 12:7
They said, "If you will be a servant to this people, be considerate of their needs and respond with compassion, work things out with them, they'll end up doing anything for you."
I started a new job at a different federal agency in December. This passage reminds me to be considerate with everyone and think about this passage every day. To help ensure this happens, I printed it with a fancy font and posted it on my office wall beside my computer screen as a constant reminder of what God expects of me. Since I am starting fresh with a new staff and new customers, this is a reminder that when I serve both with sincerity and respect, they will let me help them be successful.
This scripture should seem clear to anyone that leads an organization, manages a household or goes to the grocery store. It is an extension of the Golden Rule: "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 7:12).
This scripture also relates to one that is vital for me: "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). This is important because I need to focus more on active listening instead of talking and telling. I have this passage on my key chain as a constant reminder that I need to wait and listen better to what people are saying to me. This links to the compassion reference in today's scripture. When I let myself walk in the shoes of others and really listen to their words or concerns, this enables me to be compassionate and "work things out" with them.
Linda Rines
