To hear this Morning Devotion, please click Some kind of dad, huh?
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King Hezekiah gets a really lousy grade as a dad in my opinion.
Yes, he did some good things during his reign over Israel’s Southern Kingdom centuries after King David. But he threw all that good will away, in my book, when he said about the dumbest thing possible to the prophet Isaiah.
2 Kings 21 describes how Hezekiah had been miraculously healed by God and then messengers from the king of Babylon came to visit. In an incredible display of pride and stupidity, Hezekiah showed the messengers all the wealth of Jerusalem, including where it was stored.
Of course, that planted the seed of greed that would later germinate into a Babylonian conquest of the city.
When Isaiah heard Hezekiah describe what he had done, Isaiah looked the king straight in the eyes and told him that his foolish choice would lead to the city’s destruction and even the enslavement of his descendants. Added to the horrible, future consequences of Hezekiah’s terrible choice would be an act of brutality that would cut off — literally — any hope of an eduring, royal legacy for the king.
“They will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon” (v. 18).
As bad as all these consequences were for Hezekiah, his family and his nation, the king then magnified his decay of wisdom with a statement that sent ice cubes through my veins.
“The word of the LORD you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?” (v. 19).
This has to rank as one of most selfish statements recorded in scripture.
Simply stated, Hezekiah was glad that he was alive and had his king’s job, along with all the stuff that he liked showing off. And if his sons and grandsons lost it all — and their manhood — that wasn’t going to be his problem.
He was going to be gone by the time the hammer fell on his kids and grandkids and he was OK with that.
I’m reminded here of the bumper sticker, “I’m spending my children’s inheritance.”
There is no question that the influence of parents and grandparents is crucial to character formation for children. And behind the good influence that occurs is the heartfelt desire to protect the long-term interests of the child or grandchild.
As parents and grandparents reject selfishness with time and ego and stuff, the principle of “family first” is reinforced.
And succeeding generations of emotionally and spiritually healthy offspring typically result.
Please evaluate your life with respect to your parenting or grandparenting or godparenting choices. The same duty applies to our roles as uncles and aunts or mentoring neighbors or whatever.
Reject the devilish temptation to inflate your ego by trying to impress people with your possessions.
And cast aside the hellish choice to abandon any sense of concern for how your “not my problem” choices affect your children or grandchildren or mentored children belonging to another.
We’ll all answer for how our choices affect our descendants or those kids of others with whom we have much influence.
I’m sure that Hezekiah has had hell to pay for his narcissism.
Let’s make sure that we don’t face the same.
As always, I love you
Martin
