The Perils of Self-Promotion
ICS Daily Devotions
1 Kings 1:5-6a (NKJV) Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king”; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. (And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, “Why have you done so?”
2 Samuel 15:4,10 (NKJV) Moreover Absalom would say, “Oh, that I were made judge in the land, and everyone who has any suit or cause would come to me; then I would give him justice.”….Then Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom reigns in Hebron!’
It is tragic when a son attempts to overthrow his father. There were two such attempts in King David’s life. His two sons, Adonijah and Absalom, both rebelled against him in attempts to seize the throne of Israel, declaring themselves king without his blessing. It was a coup against the king, their father. They were neither God’s nor David’s choice to succeed to the throne.
Absalom attempted to sway the people against King David by portraying himself as a better ruler. He argued that King David had neglected the people and that he would fight for their cause. He employed the divide-and-conquer strategy. Absalom’s rebellion was fuelled by pride, ambition, and vengeance, demonstrating how personal grievance and the thirst for power can ruin families and kingdoms.
Waiting to succeed is never easy, as it requires humility and patience, even if you’ve already been named the successor. The comfort is that God has a plan for the leaders He has chosen. In fact, God has a perfect plan for everyone, even if there’s no leadership role involved. Our corporate position should not define who we are.
Planning a leadership transition is no easy task, whether in a company, non-profit organisation, or church. It must be done intentionally and with much prayer. The hearts of men, whether good, bad, or ugly, will be revealed throughout the process. How a person holds onto their identity in the leadership role will be uncovered. The character of the successor or the presumed successor will also come to light. While appointing a leader is simple, changing or revoking the appointment is a challenge.
Have you ever had a subordinate suggest that they could have performed better than their leader? It’s never easy to be in leadership, but we often don’t recognise our limitations until we have to make tough decisions under immense pressure. Therefore, we must not undermine the leadership placed above us, whether in the marketplace or in a church. We should give honour where it is due by submitting to the leadership God has appointed.
It was shameful for Adonijah to be feasting over his kingship when the announcement of King Solomon’s appointment was made public. He even had to beg for his life when Solomon was appointed as king. Therefore, it is better to be invited to the main table than to self-promote and be asked to give up your seat for someone more important (Luke 14:7-11). Humility will prevent us from being shamed.
Sermon Series: Walk into Your Calling
