SCRIPTURE: 2 Kings 21
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! [Matthew 18:7]
Our reading today makes me think of these words from Jesus – woe to Manasseh!
How he changed from his father Hezekiah, who was faithful to God.
Through Manasseh, all forms of vile, immoral and cruel religion were reinstated – he even sacrificed his own son!
He filled Jerusalem with innocent blood.
Every so often this kind of brutal dictator arises, and the blood flows: Hitler, Stalin, Mugabe, Ceaucescou, Idi Amin, Pol Pot… more could be added, with debates about names belonging or not (some people would add Bush).
I am not quick to say who will inherit eternal life or eternal death, but these seem like good candidates for eternal death.
It is not for me to judge, and God knows things about us we don’t know.
But from this side of things, without naming names, we can say for sure that those who are agents of evil, will inherit eternal judgment.
I know that I am not this kind of brutal leader, but what kind of leader am I?
Does my leadership draw people towards the Lord, or does it distract or deflect them away from Him?
Does my leadership style hinder or help others experience God?
On a scale between Manasseh (-10) and Josiah (+10, see next chapters), which direction am I leaning?
It’s not a matter of where I am on that scale, but where I am leaning.
I can be a -8, but if my heart is leaning towards +10, then God is pleased; I can be a +8, but if my heart is leaning towards -10, then God is not pleased.
Do I desire to be generous, moral, faithful, kind, loving, merciful?
This is the kind of leader the Lord is calling me to be, to aim for.
Being neutral is not an option, because the heart drifts towards selfishness.
And I do not want to drift anywhere close to Manasseh.
I want to stay as far away from Hitler as I can.
I want to be like Jesus!!!
PRAYER:
Lord, renew my desire to be like You, to go overboard in being loving, moral, good. I do not want to be one through whom things that cause people to sin come!