One reason the Barney Fife character on the Andy Griffith show was so humorous was because there was never a moment that you did not know how he was feeling. Barney mirrored the whole gamut of human emotion front and center. In other words, to watch Barney (and laugh at him) was to see yourself in him. This is one of the values of Scripture. James even refers to the Bible (“the perfect law of liberty”) as a mirror – look in it and see yourself. What needs attention?
I’m reading through 2 Chronicles, which delivers a synopsis of the kings of Judah. According to the opening chapter of Matthew’s gospel, this is the royal heritage of Jesus. What I’m discovering is that this lineage also serves as a mirror. We read about these kings and we can see ourselves. This should challenge us to learn from history because we are prone to make the same mistakes they did. One component that stands out to me is the disposition with which a king engaged his calling.
Jehoshaphat is one of my favorites. Other than Solomon and Hezekiah, he gets the most attention in this book because his heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD. He is referred to as the one who sought the LORD with all his heart. He was not without flaws; he had to be admonished by the prophet of God. But the outcome of his calling, in which he pursued God with all his heart, was joy and peace – not only in himself, but in the people he governed. He knew his limitations, and when he did not know what to do his first resort was to worship.
Joash, Jehoshaphat’s great-grandson, started his reign at the very young age of seven. Joash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all the days of Jehoiada the priest. But when the one for whom he performed left the scene, then his performance changed to please others; namely, his peers. And they abandoned the house of the LORD. The result? Joash became treacherous in his calling. Amaziah, his son, did what was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart. Serving God through your calling half-hearted is like being double-minded; the sovereign God of the universe becomes just another object of trust. Amaziah’s reign ended in defeat. His son, Uzziah, ascended to the throne at the age of sixteen. He was a good king and accomplished great things, but when he was strong, he grew proud – to his destruction. Uzziah’s pride rendered him unfaithful and ineffective in the latter part of his reign.
We are not earthly kings, but we each have a calling; as members of a royal priesthood, we serve God. If we pursue our calling with pride, half-heartedly, or just to please others, we will find ourselves at best, feeling purposeless and ineffective; at worst, facing God’s resistance. On the other hand, if we engage our calling with a whole-hearted pursuit of God, it will result in joy and peace that will overflow to the people in our worlds.
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