Who to imitate . . . who to please . . . ?

2 Chronicles 24; Zechariah 7; John 10; Revelation 11

A teacher once told me that children who behaved badly at home but were ‘good kids’ according to their sitters and others are not a worry. Instead, it is the compliant children who behave at home but are rebels when outside home that parents should worry about. King Joash seems to have been one of those!

He became a king at age seven and “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest” but when the priest died, things changed.

Now after the death of Jehoiada the princes of Judah came and paid homage to the king. Then the king listened to them. And they abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the Lord. These testified against them, but they would not pay attention. (2 Chronicles 24:17–19)

Compliant people easily follow whoever gives them a reason. Josiah was eager to rebuild the temple, but just as eager to serve idols. God sent prophets but Josiah’s heart was not right. Then He sent the son of Jehoiada to speak His will:

 . . .  and he stood above the people, and said to them, “Thus says God, ‘Why do you break the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.’ ” But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the Lord. Thus Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and avenge!” (2 Chronicles 24:20–22)

There is a vast difference between compliance and conviction. Joash was in trouble. By the end of the year, a small army from Syria came against Judah, defeating them and leaving this king wounded. His servants then killed him in his bed and he was not buried in the tombs of the kings, a sad ending for a seemingly good start.

This king’s attitude of people-pleasing is dangerous. Several biblical kings wound up drifting from God because of it. It still happens in today’s world. The leaders and politicians that want to impress their voters may have a different motive (to get re-elected) but once they depart from any conviction to do what is right in the eyes of God, they are also in trouble in the eyes of people. Not only that, in these days of rampant selfishness, even those who do want to do right are not popular in a majority vote.

APPLY: Peter wrote: “Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.” (1 Peter 3:13–17)

From Peter’s words and the story of Joash, getting in trouble for doing the right thing is the best choice over getting in trouble for doing my own thing. Poet John Lydgate once said that no one can please all of the people all of the time. Even Jesus, the sinless Son of God was crucified by a jealous and hateful mob and is cursed every day by people who reject Him and His gift of eternal life. Far better to die as Jesus died than to be rejected for being a jerk.