2 Chronicles Chapter 29: Verses 1-6 (NIV)
Hezekiah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father David had done.
In the first month of the first year of his reign, he opened the doors of the temple of the Lord and repaired them. He brought in the priests and the Levites, assembled them in the square on the east side and said: “Listen to me, Levites! Consecrate yourselves now and consecrate the temple of the Lord, the God of your ancestors. Remove all defilement from the sanctuary. Our parents were unfaithful; they did evil in the eyes of the Lord our God and forsook him. They turned their faces away from the Lord’s dwelling place and turned their backs on him.
Hezekiah’s family history was a bit mixed. Some of his ancestors set a good example and followed the ways of God, whilst others did not. God expects us to set a good example of how Christians should behave, but He does know that not everyone will have been fortunate to have had a good example to follow. But the most important thing is that we need to make our own decisions and choices. We are, after all responsible for walking the path mapped out for us. It’s not our responsibility to walk on somebody else’s road, or worry about what anyone else is doing.
When I was young if I asked my mum if I could do something or go somewhere that she didn’t approve of, I would sometimes say, “Well so-and-so gets to do that,” or “So-and-so’s Mum says it’s okay”. Mum wasn’t interested in what other people said or did if she thought it wasn’t right, that’s all that mattered.
There may well be times when its right to follow someone else’s example, but there are also times when, like Hezekiah, we need to lead by example and do what’s right in God’s eyes. That’s more important than our family history.
Dear Lord,
Thank You that I only need to focus on the path You have mapped out for me. I don’t need to worry about what anyone else has done, or is doing. Help me to fix my eyes on Your ways and not turn to see what’s going on elsewhere. I ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.