And they spoke to him, saying, “If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”
1 Kings 12:7

Solomon’s Son, Rehoboam, succeeded his father on the throne of united Israel. Apparently, Solomon had taxed his people heavily to support his lavish government projects. Obviously some things never change!

The young king wisely sought counsel on how to rule the great nation. Older, wiser advisors who had worked for Solomon advised Rehoboam to serve the people, rather than continuing to make them his servants via excessive taxation. They promised that when government serves the people (including restraint in taxation), the people would willingly serve their king.

Rehoboam then asked a group of his youthful peers what they thought. They advised the king to lean on the people more heavily than Solomon had (1 Kings 12:8-14.) Rehoboam foolishly followed the counsel of his naive peers. The result: 10 of 12 tribes seceded from the nation and began a new one, calling it Israel. Rehoboam was left ruling what was left, called Judah.

Jesus is the perfect Leader. One of the marks of His leadership is that He serves His people.

Matthew 20:27-28 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."