Dear James, Ellie, and Darcy (and anyone else who reads our letters),

I have been rereading the Bible recently, based on the version of Scripture that I read as a teenager: The Living Bible. This many years later, the readings strike me much differently than they did as I was starting my life journey.

I read these words recently: “But just when Rehoboam was at the height of his popularity and power he abandoned the Lord, and the people followed him in this sin” (2 Chronicles 12:1, The Living Bible).

King Rehoboam’s family tree stood like a mighty oak alongside small saplings. His father was King Solomon, and his grandfather was King David himself! What a pedigree to share with your classmates on take-a-parent-to-school day! For several years, Rehoboam ruled with a healthy respect and allegiance to his rich heritage, including the faith of his fathers. But before long, things went south (literally). He almost lost the entire kingdom to the Egyptians. Why? … because “he abandoned the Lord.” King Rehoboam led his people into faithlessness and nearly ruined everything for generations to come.

But when I read his story this time, I noticed something I missed in my earlier years’ readings. His missteps occurred when he “was at the height of his popularity and power.” Two conditions led to this king’s walking away from God’s path: too little past and too much power.

Too little past. When King Rehoboam emerged from the long shadows of his father and grandfather, he idolized his own popularity. He couldn’t wait for the day when people referred to him as THE king, NOT the son of Solomon or the grandson of David. His present and his future no longer needed his past, or so he thought. Be careful, my grandchildren, not to forsake your heritage. Listen to the stories of your parents, your grandparents, and your great-grandparents, or the stories about them. They form the backstory of your narrative. You will learn from those stories and, hopefully, rewrite them for the better in your own lives. Too many people try to find their current identity and ultimately their future dreams, without looking back on who they were. For good and bad (hopefully more good than bad!), we are all part of who we were. For Rehoboam, once he escaped who he was, the man he became was not so good.

Too much power. The second quality was equally as destructive as the first: King Rehoboam acquired too much power. He walked away from God when he impudently assumed that his dominating power abolished his need for God. Ironically, power almost destroyed his throne. I’ve witnessed power as the great killer of so many relationships between family members, among business arrangements, within churches, and even in one’s personal faith. Power destroys the balance of goodness. Even the humblest can get caught up in the misleading allure of power. It is near impossible to love power and love God at the same time. Be wary, my grandchildren, of those who love power above what is right. At the same time, be careful of your own personal hunt for power in the years ahead. What and whom you lose in the pursuit of power is far greater than what you will ever control.

You will likely hear grand stories about the roles of King David and King Solomon in your spiritual history. They prepared the way for our Lord well. Conversely, you will probably hear very little about King Rehoboam. A little more past and a little less power might have led him to a greater chapter in our story. My grandchildren, write your own story with a healthy respect for your past and a humble perception of your present.

I love you,

Grandad

• Letters to My Grandchildren