Do I have "itching ears"?

While drinking coffee this morning ……

Scripture reference:  1 Kings 12:1-15

Focal verse:  1Kings 12:13. Then the king answered the people harshly. He rejected the advice the elders had given him. 

This is a super story!  

To quickly relate the setting:  Solomon had died; Rehoboam was set to be made king; Jeroboam (the loyal servant that had been a "go-to" guy for Solomon, until Solomon turned turned on him, intending to kill him - Jeroboam had then run to safety in Egypt) has returned from Egypt requesting that Rehoboam lighten the load of his people. Rehoboam sought the advice of the sages; when they didn't answer as he wanted them to, he sought the advice of his peers - the young men he had been hanging out with. They answered as he wanted, so he went with that advice. 

Observations:

1. Rehoboam never asked "What would God want me to do in this situation?".  This seems interesting to me - Rehoboam was the grandson of David, who generally ALWAYS asked God for direction. I would think that some of this would have rubbed off on Solomon, which would have, in turn, rubbed off on Rehoboam. 

2. Rehoboam did not appear to be looking for "wisdom". Now, wait a minute. His Daddy vas Solomon - the all time "king" of wisdom - the writer of Proverbs!  I would think that some of this would rub off on Rehoboam!

This whole thing reminds me of Paul's warning to Timothy … (2Timothy 4:3. For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear something new.) … Rehoboam had likely already made up his mind; he was just looking for someone that agreed with him. 

So, the question really is … where do I seek direction?  It is so easy to say "I look to God for my direction", but a lot more difficult to put this into practice. Shouldn't I be reflecting of scripture - God's primary way of speaking to me - when a decision point comes up?  Shouldn't I be seeking His wisdom?

And then, there are people God arranges to be in my life - older (most of the time - but not always), wiser people that have walked with God for years and years and years. They are there for a reason, for a purpose - shouldn't I look to them for their wisdom?

Too many times I, like Rehoboam, have already made up my mind. I'm just looking for someone that will agree with me. When I find that someone, I'm off and running. As we said in the world of manufacturing, "ready, fire, aim". I pray that God will slow me down, that He will move within me to ask the right questions, and then to LISTEN!

How about you?