1 Kings 12

Then the young men who had grown up with him spoke to him, saying, “Thus you should speak to this people who have spoken to you, saying, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you make it lighter on us’—thus you shall say to them: ‘My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s waist!  v.10

Read chapter 12
This chapter records the split of Israel.  Rehoboam is the son of Solomon and Jeroboam is from the tribe of Ephraim (an Israelite tribe) who was one of Solomon's officials.  Because of Solomon's sin the Lord took full reign from his line starting with Rehoboam.  We read in the previous chapter of the prophesy of Jeroboam becoming king over 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel and now it has happened.  Notice Rehoboam seeking counsel from the elders and his peers yet they say opposite things.  The elders advise him to be a servant leader where his peers tell him to be a harsher leader than his father was.  I always joke with my workers when I think I might be being a "harsh" leader by asking them if "my little finger is thicker than [some other leader's] waist"?  Yet how often do we see no one learning from the generations before them and instead "getting with the times" of handling manners or listening to peers than to someone worthy of respect?  Not all our elders are wise and give Godly counsel so we must discern but also we cannot always just take what our friends say because we are closer to them in relationships.  Are you able to discern between counsel from friends and your "elders"?  How can one do this?