And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever. (2 Chronicles 10:7)
There is no better rule of government than kindness. In the home and in the school, in the shop and in the field, kindness warms the heart and makes friends. If Rehoboam had treated his people kindly, showing them that as their king he was there only to serve them and look after their welfare, he would have won their hearts and saved his kingdom.